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 know, I know....

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