Psychopathy is a widely recognized construct, often assumed to rest on a solid scientific foundation. Yet over the past two decades, the cumulative evidence has failed to substantiate several (and arguably most) of the central claims traditionally associated with the construct. In this essay, I ask a straightforward question: if the empirical record repeatedly falls short of corroborating psychopathy, why has the idea persisted within the sciences and in clinical practice? I

I recently had a longer conversation on Lance Bush’s podcast about psychopathy, its scientific foundations, and my growing suspicion that it may qualify as a “zombie idea.” We managed to cover a fair amount of ground on what is, ultimately, a complicated and contested topic. Enjoy! 🙏 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3hWjM34pxE

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Fabio Lombardi from the YouTube channel 𝗖𝗼𝗴 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to discuss psychopathy, my article in Aeon, and my broader work in this area. We covered both the scientific foundations of the construct and some of the challenges surrounding its application; particularly in legal contexts. You can watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kazy7Z4l9tg

I recently joined the NPR and PBS radio show/podcast, 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙆𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙤𝙮𝙙, to discuss why I believe psychopathy is not a scientifically meaningful construct/disorder and the wider implications for the legal system. The conversation builds on arguments I have been developing over the past several years, and outlined in my book, 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗨𝗻𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱. Namely, that many of the core claims surrounding psychopathy (e.g., deep-seated emotional de

Dr. Larsen recently had the opportunity to speak with Radio Health Journal about the use of psychopathy assessments in the legal system and whether individuals labeled “psychopaths” are, in fact, as dangerous as courts often assume. In the interview, Dr. Larsen discuss research on how the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) is used in judicial decision-making, the empirical limits of its predictive power, and the broader ethical and epistemic concerns that arise when diagn

The Toronto Star just published a feature on Dr. Larsen's research and Psychopathy Unmasked. Dr. Larsen was also interviewed for this piece, explaining why he believes it's time to reconsider whether the PCL-R should continue to inform judicial outcomes. Over the past two decades, a substantial body of research has raised questions about its predictive performance, construct validity, susceptibility to bias, and the way “psychopathy” as a label shapes perceptions of risk and

Dr. Larsen was recently interviewed by UofT News about how the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) is used in Canadian courts to inform sentencing. “When you call it a psychopathy test, you're triggering all sorts of biases because many people intuitively assume that when you say ‘psychopath,’ we're talking about the worst of the worst. The evidence does not suggest that, but this is nevertheless the semantic connotation of a label like that.” https://www.utoronto.ca/news/psychop

Dr. Larsen recently delivered a public lecture on Psychopathy Unmasked, focusing specifically on how PCL-R psychopathy assessments are used in the criminal justice system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moGnDp58g9I #Psychopathy

Psychology Today mentioned Psychopathy Unmasked, and highlights Dr. Larsen's research on the PCL-R in court. The article explores whether psychopathy assessments should inform high-stakes legal decisions. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/shadow-boxing/202602/is-the-psychopathy-checklist-unsuitable-for-court/amp

I have made the core teaching materials for a course based on my book, Psychopathy Unmasked, openly available under a 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗖𝗖 𝗕𝗬 𝟰.𝟬 license, including free 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀. The materials are designed for third- and fourth-year undergraduate students in psychology, criminology, and related disciplines, but they can also be adapted for graduate-level teaching. The course integrates empirical research, p

I recently sat down with Paul Rand from the Big Brains Podcast to talk about the legal system’s problematic use of psychopathy assessments (such as the PCL-R). We discussed how the psychopathy diagnosis, despite its scientifically dubious status, continues to shape sentencing, parole, and even death penalty decisions – often in ways that raise serious questions about fairness and justice. We also explored deeper questions behind Psychopathic Personality Disorder itself, incl

Psychopathy research is a rich interdisciplinary field, with scientists pursuing a wide range of important questions. However, as I outline in Psychopathy Unmasked, the field has nevertheless made remarkably little progress in recent decades. In fact, we are today facing a sort of impasse where almost all of the common claims about psychopathy have either been difficult to corroborate or outright falsified So, what explains this lack of progress? Before answering this main qu

For more than two centuries, scientists and clinicians have described people diagnosed with psychopathy as morally colorblind—as if they...

What’s the difference between these three terms? This is easily one of the most common questions I get from the hundreds of forensic...

The short answer is: No… That might sound surprising, because the idea that “psychopaths lack empathy” is deeply baked into the public...

Psychopathy Unmasked in the Media I’m always grateful when Psychopathy Unmasked is featured in the media. Each piece helps bring wider...

Hervey Cleckley’s The Mask of Sanity is often held up as a foundational text in modern psychopathy research. It’s frequently cited with...

Psychopathy Unmasked in the Media I’m always grateful when Psychopathy Unmasked is featured in the media. Each piece helps bring wider...

Inspiration often comes from unexpected sources… Back in November 2015—when I was still very much a “green” researcher trying to find my...

It’s the fall of 2019, and the metaphorical penny has finally dropped: I realize that the central claims in psychopathy research just...