You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
The term “psychopath” usually conjures images of serial killers or acts of genocide. Less frequently considered are those who are intelligent enough to avoid detection by the criminal justice system while hiding in the boardrooms of corporations or lurking in the halls of government institutions. This article provides an overview of psychopathy and human evil by exploring the personality characteristics, organization, and cognitive style of the psychopath, the role of superego pathology, contributions from the field of attachment, and ways in which dissociation plays a role in psychopathy and the potential for confusing this with the dissociative structuring of the mind. The article closes with a brief discussion about “corporate” or “successful psychopaths” and how they have a negative impact on culture and society.