We Are Wrong About Psychopaths

A New "Switch Theory" of Psychopathy

It’s estimated that around 1% of the general population could be classified as a clinical psychopath. In prisons, it’s closer to 15-25%. These estimates are based on the Psychopathy Checklist Revised, commonly known as the PCL-R.

Created by forensic psychologist Robert Hare, The PCL-R is a 20-item instrument inspired by psychiatrist Hervey Cleckley’s cli…