Psychopath

2000, Psychology  -   218 Comments
7.83
12345678910
Ratings: 7.83/10 from 187 users.

There are many psychopaths in society, that actually, we virtually know nothing about. These are the psychopaths who don't necessarily commit homicide, commit serious violence, or even come to the attention of the police. They may be successful businessmen. They may be successful politicians. They may be successful academics. They may be successful priests. They exist in all areas of society. There is a growing awareness that psychopathic behavior is around us in all walks of life.

According to popular wisdom, psychopaths are crazed and bloodthirsty serial killers. The reality is not so simple. While many psychopaths do commit violent crimes, not all psychopaths are criminals and not all criminals are psychopathic. Psychopaths are found in many walks of life and are often successful in competitive professions. However they are also ruthless, manipulative and destructive. Equinox reports on techniques developed by psychologists to work out whether a person is psychopathic and shows how brain scientists are coming close to mapping the malfunctions in the brain that cause a person to be a psychopath. In Britain one person in 200 is likely to be a psychopath. However psychopaths are thought to be responsible for half of all reported crimes and to make up between 15% and 20% of the prison population.

The programme looks at the most recent research into the brains and behaviour of psychopaths and assesses the prospects for the treatment or containment of this antisocial group of people who create such a disproportionate amount of destruction. Psychopaths who have been convicted of appalling crimes explain with disturbing clarity what motivated them in their violent and destructive behaviour. They speak without shame, guilt, remorse or empathy with their victims.

Though they are articulate and, at times, plausible and charming, they lack the range of emotions experienced by the rest of society. They know the difference between right and wrong but they do not feel it. Robert Hare, Professor of Psychology at the University of Vancouver, has devised a system of assessment called the Psychopathy Checklist. In specialized interviews, psychologists assess individuals on a scale of 0 to 40 for a series of character traits, including callousness, superficial charm, lack of empathy and many others (for more detail look at How to recognize a psychopath). Anyone whose score is greater than 26 is diagnosed as psychopathic.

More great documentaries

218 Comments / User Reviews

  1. How can we say that the person is psychopath ,if he or she score more than 26

  2. It must be obvious to most critical thinkers, that 'power' is a magnet for the psychopath. Under the guise of 'good works', altruism, or the like; these apex psychopaths largely go unrecognized by the majority, due to the many layers of obedient minions separating them from the actual mischief.
    None, (psychopaths) , are more blatant, arrogant, and recognizable than those in the USA, whose actions are leading to Fascism or revolt. The near future portends an horrific scenario.

  3. I have heard men in their 40's or 50's tell of being recruited into an assassination unit of a special quasi-military intelligence outfit and convinced... well rather believed the propaganda that they were doing "God's work" and/or "protecting the nation". Later, these few that came forward to mention it, had discovered over time that they had been fooled. No doubt they did some evil things at the instruction of their superiors. Not all that different than muslim's, the jewish leadership, and some Christian groups are fooled into believing they are the righteous heirs of earth and the rest are infidels, goyim, unworthy, etc. Suicide bombers, etc. How many SEAL and DELTA, etc missions were for corporate purposes rather than to "protect those at home"?

    To put a finer point on it, is a jihadi who only kills one person worse than those involved in an abortion? Along with those wanting the stream of baby parts from Planned Parenthood for research.

    How did such a sicko society come to be where so many refuse to step into the other person's shoes to see how things are, before doing what they do to them?

    It is not that hard to see that one way or another, a lot of people make the choice to become psychopaths. Over an amount of time of shutting down or overriding their conscience, to justify their selfish thoughts and actions, they are able to extinguish guilt and empathy as well. It is just an ego trip to a particular destination to justify the power hungry, the greedy, the arrogant, who believe they are entitled to direct or affect your life.

    Anti God "progressive" World leaders go to places like Bohemia Grove to learn to or re-invigorate their ability to shut down their conscience with methods like "the cremation of care" ceremonies. Then they pretend to care by going to Veterans Hospitals. If they truly cared they wouldn't gin up wars in the first place; or go along with their bankster benefactors. Other's do it through their religion. For the anti God anti religious zealots, your group leaders are no better. You have just bought into another line of BS which is even worse, if you could only see their mission is to make you an ant in an ant colony while they are the queens.

  4. The unacknowledged assumption of the makers of this documentary, and of the experts that were interviewed, is that human beings are “meat machines” and any problems, physical or mental/emotional/psychological, must be caused by some sort of dysfunction of the brain (or more generally, the body).

    There is a tremendous amount of experimental and anecdotal evidence that supports the theory that consciousness has existence independent of the physical body, regardless of what establishment mouthpieces like James Randi and Richard Dawkins claim. Some researchers, and many spiritual adepts, believe that consciousness is the ultimate reality.

    It seems to me, while brain dysfunction may in large measure explain psychopathic behavior, that dysfunction may (or may not) have a deeper, non-physical source.

    Anyhow, it shouldn’t be an automatic assumption that the root cause of psychopathy lies within the physical body.

    Also, there is a disturbing endorsement in this film of drastic, invasive measures to deal with psychopathy. It seems to me, there may be a hidden agenda here, of let’s get the public to accept mass microchipping by starting with a special case involving people for whom the masses have little sympathy. Once microchipping is mainstreamed, the ruling authorities will have unprecedented power over the people, and be able not just to surveil us (destroying any privacy) throughout our lives, but to manipulate our thoughts, feelings and perceptions to an extraordinary degree.

    Finally, it occurs to me that these small-time criminals, while dangerous, are nothing in terms of destructive power compared to the psychopaths that run the planet - the ones controlling economies, governments, militaries, intelligence agencies, the science establishment, the media, etc. Why do you think we’re always at war, the vast majority of humanity are barely eking out a living, and human health is deteriorating? Is it because of the convicts highlighted in this film? No, it’s people like George Bush senior, the Clintons, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, George Soros, Henry Kissinger, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, the creeps that run the CIA, MI6 and the Mossad, the entitled cretins that comprise “royalty,” and other elitist monsters. There was brief mention in the film of psychopaths on Wall Street, but that topic was quickly dropped.

    Overall, an interesting but flawed film.

    1. If you seriously believe in any of the nonsense you just wrote, you need to get help.
      Seriously.
      Just ... stop. We know perfectly well how the brain functions and what creates conciousness.

  5. I'll just add my two cents in here. This 'documentary' is a piece of sh*t. More bullsh*t from the 'psychopaths, the evil monsters who feel no emotion!' crowd. It's a lie of course. There's no such thing as a psychopath.

    1. You are so wrong! I just hope you or your family are never a victim. The Psychopath is dangerous to society and is creating more problems. You need to educate yourself about these dangerous people!

    2. There are look at any one in Power..

    3. Well, your 2 cents seems to be worth a billionth of 2 cents of real currency. What do you mean there's no such thing as people that can't feel emotion, its been documented hundreds of thousands of times, and proven, in as much as anything in the brain can be proven by using MRI's to highlights areas that don't work and communicate as they should in certain situations, as well as countless other thousands of experiments that confirm the existence of such 'people'. 2 cents means nothing if your just saying what you think, when its what you think about a scientific field with decades of research, none of which you've read or contributed to. It'd be like if I said...'Just my 2 cents, but the next time they go into space they should use something shaped like a giant fighter jet

  6. Man! This comment list is almost as long as the religion-atheist ones.

  7. Since the achievement of empathy requires accessing intermediate and long term memory from the temporal lobe, what if we helped individuals to practice exercising the brain to go there. Put them into situations in which they need to access intermediate and long term memory. Tolerance and perseverance require accessing these regions as well. We have politicians running for office with these problems, frequently.

  8. Prof. David Cook in this doco looks a bit like the psychopath who moved into our building in 2010. Acts of aggression included loading the bins with bricks so our elderly caretaker would struggle and perhaps have a heart attack. I took over that chore, so the psychopath filled the bins with rubbish and lay rubbish bags full of broken glass on top, hoping I would attempt to push the pile down into the bin. I did and cut my hands to shreds. Other atrocities included breaking into the apartment of a 95 year old while she was in hospital, then naming and blaming kids in the neighbourhood. His pet dog - poor thing - was never walked but was fed all manner of rubbish so it became grossly obese. It would be made to sit in a space no bigger than an armchair in the corner of the room and not allowed to move from it. No one dared complain about it because the psychopaths seething, screaming rage would sometimes erupt and it was frightening. His lies were flabbergasting - he spread terrible slanders about various targets around the neighbourhood and made numerous vexatious complaints to police. At the age of sixty he had both legs amputated because of diabetes and smoking. He died in late 2012 aged 61, lonely and helpless. It was a good day, and I often think of the deliberate chaos, pain and suffering he loved to inflict on those around him throughout his miserable life. I don't care if psychopaths process things/emotions differently. They know full well what they are doing and relish all the suffering they can create.

  9. Chris Dillon: .... Well said. Thank you.

  10. After reading all the comments, I can safely say that most of the critics of this excellent documentary are themselves psychopaths.

  11. The protagonist, Finch, in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is an industrial pyschopath.

  12. What this video seems to forget is that we all behave like psychopaths. But what we call psychopaths are people where we see a more distinct cause-effect relationship in their crimes. And the majority of people dont understand why they do that. But on a global scale we all cause murder, theft etc. We just dont see it that clearly with ourselves, because the relation is less direct. And because we all do it, we tend to think that it is ok.
    But i know that for the laptop i am typing this on, child slaves in Congo were used for the coltan. I know that the people that make this jump off the roof to commit suicide, because the working conditions in the capitalistic forced labour camps are that hard. I know that for the oil that is needed for the transport and energy, countries are invaded. I didnt really feel any empathy for those people when i bought this. I just didnt think about it and turned my empathy off and it looks like so called psychopaths basically do the same and rationalise their behaviour.
    I have never been actually convicted of a crime, but by this standards i am definetely a psychopath, but it looks like we all are. The only difference is the more accepted and more indirect the relationship is, the less chance you will be labeled as one.

    1. Anyone who has ever dealt with a sociopath would disagree. We are xomplicitnin our social failures. Psychopaths wreak everything in their path all by the!selves. They are h bombs to their vivti!s that they select and them destroy, it is deliberate and without remorse, so...,. While I appreciate the concern of many on out planet, the concern you are expressing is exactly what a psychopath does not have, so, ummm. NO

  13. What this video seems to forget or assume is that sociopaths could be in police, medicine as well. People just assume police are good, when in fact police crimes are extremely rampant, and only now are the numbers rising because we can finally document them, and share them online. But psychopaths are drawn towards power. Who has monopoly of force in society? Government and police. Gangs have a far lesser degree of power. If you want to go for the big pond, you go into government.

    Let's say we make some ethical decision through law (which is pretty ridiculous imo, since we're imposing it at the point of a gun, but that's the present reality so lets go with that for now). Psychopaths are drawn towards government, politicians, and the financial/business/influential spheres. If we made a department, or a ruling, or if there was some legislation making a big decision about how we treat psychopaths, THE PSYCHOPATHS ALREADY IN POWER would kind of do something about it.

    Such gaps in comprehensive coverage of the logic in this documentary is pretty disappointing. Here is another example of what I mean.

    I think the focus on brain chip implants is rather narrow, and too dismissing of other solutions, facts, and understanding. Epigenetics is established now. Genes turn on and off. The lines between nature and nurture are blurred. And I don't like how they use "biological cause" to imply immutable. Biology encompasses genetics. Environment affects biology. Genetics isn't a decree of fate either. More spectra here.

    1. Unfortunately, like all documentaries, they are ruled by time, money and what the distributors think the public want to see. I agree, it's a shame it wasn't more in depth, perhapst they should make a series devoted to psychopathy, after all, it isn't the psychopath who is affected by their behaviour it is everyone around them and they always leave chaos, depression, trauma and sorrow in their wake.

  14. It wasn't all that illuminating. quite superficial... like many documentaries are.

    I'm quite interested in this topic.
    But much disappoints.

  15. The quality of this particular video is quite bad, but am continuing to watch despite this setback. However, one question, is there no way to date these docs? I can tell that its old, but even a estimated date at the top would be quite nice (so that you know if the information in the doc may be outdated).....now on to these psychopaths....

  16. psychopaths are the signs of a sick society, it tells us that our system is wrong, are nt we all psychopaths the way we treat animals and nature in general? most people don t give a damn about what damages we cause, putting chips in their heads? is nt this a lack of empathy? fill them with medication? erasing their personality? it seems so me those people have deep wounds that they could not deal with, did nt the guy said his brother would kill him if he took his motorcycle? I think we have a long way to go before we can asses the real solution to this reaction to society, and it will take more than just scan their brains to find it, maybe they should ask them what are their dreams and goals in life, what makes them happy, we could then find out more how they could contribute to make our society better.

    1. "As long as there are slaughterhouses there will always be battlefields" - Leo Tolstoy

  17. Medicine is now socialized, the financial system is an oligarchical elite monopoly. Police state ,martial law; suspension of civil rights, internal terrorist profiling internment camps, sexual predator gelding and penectomies, no short bullsh*t rehabilitation for rapists and killers; here lie the answers. Death penalty or forced labor. You want a socialist society, go all the way. There is no moral center; we need to make one; and enforce it. Smoke all the weed you granolas want; but for violence meet it head on with militant draconian measures.

    1. When did medicine get socialized? Not in the US

  18. Almost 90% of the damage psychopaths can do is because victims does not know how to identify them. (They are perfect liars, they do not talk, they only lie). So, this is what society can do with psychopaths:

    1) Identify them.
    2) When identified, chip-mark them.
    3) Design a cheap gadget so anybody can identify the chip in anybody.

    So, it is crucial to solve 1) way beyond any doubt. But I think we are getting near to a solution; My opinion is that brain-scanning while following an image test is the way.

    1. so your answer is to force somebody to get chipped? what if they have done nothing wrong? what if we can identify them when they are children, should we chip an innocent child and put them at a disadvantage without cause?

  19. who ever made this video. is a psychopath. it's all bull s*it. if you no the mind of the psychopath you are one so that means your all psychopath's this just looks like some scam to me what better way to make money then to go and tell people they are psychopaths and they need pill's all the doctors care about is the money not you and they are willing to tell you anything to get it even tell you your crazy when you have done nothing crazy but say crazy stuff and think crazy stuff but that's what I would call a imagination not a psychopaths

    1. I feel crazy after reading that one long run-on sentence. I also could not follow your train of thought with that many misspellings and improper grammar. You'll have to forgive me for not just letting it go, but I read comments like this all the time and I am absolutely confused as to why more people don't make the teeny bit of effort required to enhance their communication skills. It would only take a minute or two to read a couple of rules on grammar. Honestly, in our culture we communicate the majority of the time via text. Imagine how much of what you are trying to get across that is lost because you only seem to use the possessive form of 'your' when sometimes I think you mean 'you're' (you are) - and there is a huge difference in the meanings of these two phonetically similar words. Not trying to offend, just help you out in the event that you might intend for people to get something out of your review. I can't take a review seriously when it comes across poorly constructed and unintelligent. After all, it is important to always consider the source.

    2. Here Here, Maureen.
      It does require a little bit of effort in order to learn to use the language accurately and expressively. If you're not willing to make the effort, then it's probably best that you don't post your blatherings amongst sensible commentary. I think you expressed that sentiment in as gracious a manner as could be expected.

    3. Bravo Maureen, I couldn't agree with you more! This 'communication issue' I've noticed where so many people are not utilizing even halfway understandable grammar is becoming a major pet peeve of mine as well.

      Call me a 'word-nerd', and forgive me if I start to climb up on a soap-box with this subject, but why would a person who is actually willing to take the time to share their opinions, wouldn't they too, take the time (in most cases, an additional few seconds) to ensure they are being expressed correctly through proper grammar? Now-a-days, a majority of our communication is done through computers with built in spell and grammar checkers that literally check and correct grammar within only a few seconds. Isn't it worth a few extra seconds to ensure the idea you're expressing is being expressed correctly? What's the point otherwise?

      It's not a difficult concept to understand, in fact, it really seems like something that should be considered common sense; If you want to communicate, you need to know the language. Unfortunately, it seems common sense is something that is becoming more and more uncommon these days, which leads me to believe that this issue will only get worse as time goes on. :-(

    4. Yes, I agree with your statements.

      Breaking long narratives by using paragraphs help a lot too! They help the reader focus, and relieves eye strain!

    5. You all sort of come off like pathetic snobs who feel you need to dictate to others how they can or can not express themselves online where everyone expresses himself uniquely. Maureen, you spent so much time just to be a jerk online to a stranger. Maybe you should look into what sort of person you are to take so much time to attack a fellow human for not using what you seem to see as "acceptable" grammar. Focusing on how someone else chooses to express himself as a way to make yourself feel superior is sad but seeing your cheering cohorts express their disdain for others simply over grammar is sickening. You are all losers and the world is a slightly worse place because of it.

  20. another video that doesn't play....

    1. Seems like you are just trolling, any more and you will be removed from SeeUat Videos. (fair warning)

  21. doc description mentions professor Hare at the "University of Vancouver" which does not exist- it's the University of British Columbia. come on

  22. I couldn't tell who the psychopaths were... the patients or the doctors. The FBI guys, Dr. Clarke, and the last guy were all easily 35's on the check list. Labeling the business guy as an 'Industrial' psychopath was just childish and unprofessional--Hare should have his license revoked for not putting this guy in his place. Extremely unprofessional. OJ Simpson was a psychopath?! He showed "a lack of emotion"--would you cry if someone killed your whoring ex-wife? He has "grandiose fantasies"... The man was a Heisman Trophy winner, No.1 Draft Pick, and is in the NFL Hall of Fame. He was a national Laureate of sports, an athletic god. ******' grandiose fantasies! Yeah, because killing two white people is the obvious next step in stroking one's ego after being recognized as one of the greatest football players of our time. Those guys are insane.

  23. One thing we should keep in mind, and it is something this documentary fails to realize, is that nonpsychopathic people, brainwashed by little strips colored cloth, have been responsible for more death and destruction than psychopaths could ever hope to cause. You really want to stop the most violence, find out how regular people can come to value ideas, like nationality and religion, more highly than human life. Find out how propaganda can shut off empathy in a human being sure as any amygdala abnormality resulting in actions which would make even a psychopath's prefrontal cortex light up. That far more common and far more destructive disorder should be a greater concern than psychopathy. Psychopathy, after all, does not have the potential to undermine and destroy human civilization while this mainstream disorder has brought us to the brink of self annihilation on at least one, possibly several, occasions.

    1. the truth is that both issues need to be taken into consideration. This is a documentary about psychopaths so they will address psychopaths. Addressing issues about normal criminals would deviate from the point they're trying to take to the viewer. There are countless documentaries about normal people causing horrible things on a large scale. So your argument isn't really very valid, because documentaries addressing your point do exist.

    2. How do you tell the difference between a "normal" criminal causing horrible things on a large scale and a psychopath doing the same?

    3. a psychological analysis. Look up the psychopathy checklist. There are also neurological exams and word association exams. There was one made with 20 psychopaths and 20 normal criminals. They used neutral words like paper versus emotional words like death. The normal criminals reacted differently mentally speaking, the psychopaths did not. This was done with brain wave sensors.

    4. What's the difference? The both commit the same deed.

    5. the mental state obviously

    6. That's simply a distinction without difference.

    7. well let's look at it this way. A normal criminal is capable of receiving help and becoming reformed because they have the capability of feeling emotion. A psychopath will fake "turning a new leaf" just to get back to doing what satisfies them. They don't feel emotion so they won't ever change. Any criminal who is unable to change their state of emotion is probably a psychopath or sociopath.

    8. So what? The crime remains the same and the law does not distinguish between a "normal" criminal and a "psychopath." All that matters is whether the defendant committed the crime.

    9. The law does recognize psychopathy Robertallen1, they are called aggravating factors during sentencing. Hiring forensic psychologists to give PCL-R assessments is controversial in the court room. It can determine if a defendant gets the death penalty or life without parole- depending how the jury decides. Also, even after being sentenced and serving time in prison, some states parole boards don't allow criminals to be eligible for parole if they fail the PCL-R assessment with a score of 30+.

  24. There's no guideline specifics to meet for anyone to go by to be psychotic or sociopathic or any of it. I can't say I even believe anyone who says I admit I am psyco or the ones who say oh I'm nothing like that. My father being a preacher and very shy. I've never seen him do one thing wrong. Then the polar opposite psycho mom. I was doomed from birth. My brain blew a fuse many times and still does. I've got empathy. Enough to compensate 25 humans without it so please don't fool yourself into thinking anybody on earth is longing for the s*** you won't ever give. It's not like you were born with super powers. There's something bad wrong with your head and I feel sorry for you. I'll admit my good nature has and will always be a curse. It's probably even worse actually because of the hurt. The guilt. The burdens. How nice must that be to never have any? I wouldn't know but I'd chose reality either way. Pain or joy is neither here nor there. What's the truth? Even animals tend to care if one is hurt. It's not in a book or a list. It's humanity. Morals. Negatives cannot draw anything positive. It is not possible. Without ppl like me this world would have ceased long ago with an explosion of total disreguard. We're supposed to have feelings. That's what seperates humans from animals. I'm no genius but you just can't have much sense at all if you can't recognize this world was not created just for you. I know it cannot be fixed but it's disgusting how some of you say I've no empathy for mankind and proud of it. You're going to need it some day and I hope you don't get it. I mean geez move over pedaphilia. Reduce the sentencing for a simple murderer. Even you don't want your children in a world with ppl who are there to wreak havoc being selfish and ignorant. Lie to yourself. I'm sure you have to since there's no way to justify all the damage you've done to others. That's the devil and a curse to your own kin. Try to fake it at least. That's a genetic defect. I might shed alot of tears and have been s***id and toyed with most all of my life but the best thing in this life is the way it feels to know I made someone's life better for absolutely nothing to gain myself. What a pity nobody dares to try the other side. Same identical thing as a drug addict who never gave NA a chance or the child molestor who won't leave the playground. Being right ant always good and easy for any of us but we do it anyway. I'm so glad it's being studied more now and awareness raised. One person being Narcissist aka an adult who never got it's ass spanked as a child in my book..can and will do so much more than simply kill. It would be different if these types stayed at home but they seek out the innocent and good folks. That's their target because that will feed the psycho for years. Then the victims have to go on and have been so tormented they are actually the only ones who are more mentally unstable than anyone on the planet. So sorry to ramble but I aim to point them out. I ran out of sympathy for that type years ago. Zero tolerance for their selfish idiotic bull crap. Evolve as a race or go back to living in a cave too damn stupid to see you're miserable. Call them out. Seperate them from society the way we would a pack of coyotes or vermin. If they can't find empathy to hell with them. I've got 2 daughters who are nothing but self-less and giving. They're not going to be tricked or toyed with. It's time to end that ignorance.

  25. I was raised by a psychopathic mother then 12yrs of marriage to one worse than her. I appreciate this documentary. It sums up alot of the bs left behind in my mind. I'm sure most ppl just can't really relate but I can and I thank you for this and please keep them coming. If you only help 3 or 4 ppl these documentaries are worth the trouble. It's such a worth cause.

    1. Psycho/sociopathy is rare in women.

    2. no it's not, it just presents differently.

    3. It's actually quite common. And if you look at Theodore Millon's subtypes of ASPD (the modern DSM term for sociopathy/psychopathy) it practically reads like a list of all the women you know. The covetous type, the malevolent type, the reputation-defending type, etc

  26. i'm almost 67 years old. i have had problems since childhood because of my behaviour, i have only a junior school education. all my illegal activities i consider petty. my 36 year old son was diagnosed with adhd when he was a baby, it became apparrant i also has adhd, it sort of gave my insanity some sanity. i used to wonder why i never grieved, i came up with apathy, i have never mentioned my mentl health to my doctor. i could never hurt nobody, and i dont feel or think i have left victims in my wake. my wife has been saying for some time about my way of thinking, then the word psycopath starts to pop up, and now i am in no doubt about my condition. this realisation is quite new, i could say i dont know how i feel about it, but i do know dont i, nothing. i dont tick all the boxes, i had 2 x 0's and 2 x 1's.

  27. i guess it all comes down to (what is normal)

    1. ...(what is normal)... nothing is actually 'normal' = normality is a sociological artificially created statistical construct (though a helpful one, no doubt)... there are 6 billion + human brains on this planet and every one of them is unique in its own way, there is no way to judge (unless U are GOD) which one is 'normally' structured and which one is not... psychopaths have also their indisputable role to play in the all ongoing evolutionary game playing here for the last 4,5 billion years.

  28. In some ways I think "psychopath" is a relative term. On the broad spectrum of human consciousness and human behaviour, someone has to be in the lower orders. There can be no good guys, as it were, without the bad guys.

    I'd be interested to see a documentary about those who might possess the opposite characteristics of the psychopath - the "saint", as it were.

    I'm sure people exist who are considered far more benevolent, kind, generous, altruistic and empathetic than the general population.

    So where would that leave the rest of us?

    Considering so many of us kill animals to eat meat, go to war, cheat and steal, believe that some "god" has our own personal interests at heart (let alone takes responsibility for everything in the universe) - and that's only in what we call the "civilized" world, I'd say we need to apply that old saying that we shouldn't judge lest we be judged.

    Any one of us that eats meat is a psychopath, if truth be told, just as sure as we're psychopaths for using products that are produced from slave or near slave labor.

    The fact that we allow others to do our psychopathy for us is really no excuse. In some ways it's even worse.

    1. the opposite of a psychopath isn't a saint, it is the empath, people who feel so intensely they even feel other people's pain. some psychopaths pretend to be empaths, pretend to have empathy, when they have nothing of the kind.

  29. One further comment, to steal a quote from Albert Einstein; "The world is a dangerous place, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." Knowledge is power, to all you "good Psychopaths....keep on being "good"....the rest of you, we're on to you and we'll protect ourselves and our loved ones. Doesn't really matter why you're trying to hurt other people, only matters that you are.

    1. What about the bankers? You have to be a psychopath to take the food out of the mouths of starving children to buy yet another yacht in Monaco, don't you?

    2. As the studies seem to suggest, they're in all walks of life. The person signing the paper to take that food might not be one, but you can bet the guy at the top that gave the order is.

    3. It appears most of these posters have not been targeted by these animals. It's very easy to put the sociopath/anti-social in the pile of "humans" but they aren't.
      A father said about his anti social son, he'd just as soon tear your head off and spit down your neck while you insist on believing he is feeling but in a different way and oh so misunderstood.
      Can you really give this grace to a man who buries a child alive after brutally raping her?
      I understand how, when you have never encountered this type of being, you would defend and give grace but you have to have heard of their horrendous acts these beings have done upon others who hearts were sweet and had no idea just like you that evil was real.
      No I don't think we should kill all disabled or different people than myself but I would give anything to protect our kind society from these monsters by somehow caging them.
      While you may think that's inhumane, you need to remember their behavior is inhumane and behavior you could never do so that cage wouldn't affect them like it would you.

    4. Awareness is growing.

  30. I have seen (and felt) the damage these people do to anyone who is unfortunate enough to get targeted. It's like an Atom Bomb going off, and believe me the blast is only the start of it! The collateral destruction just keeps widening. If there was a way to restrain and confine these "people" (I use that loosely) to prevent them from doing any more harm...then I'm all for it. Until then, I have no problem with getting the word out there to as many of us "prey" as possible to start honing that long forgotten instinct to sense when you're about to become prey.

  31. I am a diagnosed Psychopath (i was diagnosed at the age of 14) and the only thing i have ever done wrong in my life that comes to mind was i stole a packet of skittles while in high school.
    One thing that is really well annoying to see is people of a lower intelligence ridicule me and generalize me with others who share a similar way of thinking who seem to be close to Nazi's.
    "the most recent research into the brains and behaviour of psychopaths and assesses the prospects for the treatment or containment of this antisocial group of people who create such a disproportionate amount of destruction."
    I am an antisocial person who does nothing but causes destruction and because my way of thinking is different than yours i need "treatment or containment"
    Seriously this is bull****, How do you know it is not you who has the faulty way of thinking and my way is evolution breaking through?
    I am self taught from the age of 7 on pretty much all topics of the world and at 18 when tested possessed an IQ of 163, Far above average.
    Imagine what my mind could be capable of if i had proper teaching from someone who understands how to teach a "Psychopath" instead of saying no **** you and sending me to a special school where the most i learnt was how to get a great score on crash nitro cart on play station 2.
    There is a reason who Psychopaths hate the world, look at the way we are treated.

    1. You might have an IQ of 163 but you need to work on your grammar.

      It's abysmal...

    2. You are disgusting and can't feel my disdain.
      You have no right to harm others who are on this earth in a peaceful manner. If the sun and the moon acted like you do, our earth be destroyed so that in and of itself should show you how detrimental you are to the human race.
      Since you lack the appreciation of life, I would hope you would be taken out in a most painful way as you only worry about being "hurt" or "caught". It would be even better for your mask to slip and all to know what you are prior to your pain.

    3. I cant truly say im a psychopath (as self diagnosis is unreliable) but so what if i dont care for others. At the end of the day nothing matters, we all die and yet the world keeps spinning, but even without empathy i have never said or wished the things you have upon anyone like you did to robbo-roberts. I may have the desire and even the urge to harm and kill those around me but unlike you i dont judge. Hell did you read what he said, "There is a reason who Psychopaths hate the world, look at the way we are treated". No i bet you didn't, and what you said proves his point more. I bet youll wish the same fate upon me correct? Well trust me no force in this world will take me out in a painful way except a fellow psychopath, be cause you normal beings dont have what it would take to do it yourselves, and no outside force exist. So if ever a psychopath is killed in a slow and painful way for all to see you can bet your *** that the person killing him is one too. With that, maybe you should thank us as on us can give you the result you desire. May you end up in a few tightly wrapped hefty bags of mine one day, and disposed of so that know one truly knows why you vanished.

    4. Emotional Intelligence is the new move and groove. Not IQ, which is determined by the moment.

    5. spoken in the true words of a physcopath, it is not your fault, projecting onto others, extremely intelligent, believing you are better and smarter than others, your actions cost people around your financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.........you suck your victim dry and leave them life less..........and you do not feel one bit empathic or sorry for anything you have done.

    6. In what country do they use the diagnostic label of psychopathy at the age of 14? (Not in any of the ones using ICD-10, and as far as I remember neither in the US (DSM-IV). The brain even develops until approx 20 years, so ...) And which test showed an IQ of 163 on a first run? Who adminstered it, why did you take it ... And if you have an IQ of 163 and still don't grasp the dangerous implications of psychopathic individuals in even a mechanical way (since autists with an high IQ would often be able to do so), I doubt that you are telling the truth. Smacks of narcissism to me.

      To the one saying that if you don't care whether a psychopath lives or dies ... would the psychopath care? Jesus is dead my man, jesus is dead. Psychopaths even play on empathy in manipulation, it's their speciality. Look at all the battered women in this world, or to the test proving the psychopaths know how to spot them and use them.

    7. Do you consider yourself qualified to diagnose psychopathy? If so, what are your credentials?

    8. I wasn't going to even answer after you tried turning it around, but I'm assuming you watched the documentary ... Listen closely at about 32 mins. into the documentary. He even has a degree. And applying logic: yes, I can diagnose you! You said yourself that you were a psychopath, under another, very similar, nickname.

    9. First of all, I never said I was a psychopath and I've never used another nickname. Secondly, it's obvious that you don't have the qualifications to diagnose anyone and should you call anyone on this site a psychopath, you will be practicing medicine without a license and I will not hesitate to report you to the moderators. Act accordingly.

    10. Pangloss_sin_antitese
      we have had posters use multiple names in the past and if you read the comment policy it is frowned upon. in this case i can assure you that you are wrong. if you suspect such behavior i suggest you bring it to the attention of the site instead of making an assumption that can cause an issue

    11. Seriously? An issue? How?

    12. Pangloss_sin_antitese
      in my experience when someone is accused to be using multiple names the discussion can get heated and result in angry posters discussing something other than the topic of the doc

    13. FIrst of all this documentary is simply silly. Secondly, so far, two posters who having watched this documentary now feel themselves themselves competent to diagnose psychopathy and sociopathy from the comments made on this thread. Pangloss_sin_antitese writes "And applying logic: yes, i can diagnose you." Not only does this come precariously near to practicing medicine without a license, but it's dangerous as well.

    14. robertallen1
      i haven't watched the doc so i cannot comment on if it is silly or not. i am hoping that the diagnosis issue (in this case) has been dealt with. as you have stated it could be seen as" precariously near" but does not cross any line as far as i am concerned.

    15. Interesting, thanks for sharing.
      Your IQ is commendable and I would say notably useful inside the scope of logical/analytical/technical endeavours in particular. There would be countless of opportunities available to make the best of and with the best you've got. Many people feel threatened by what they don't understand as it is, add in the somewhat *souless* stigma attached to your cognitive type and this fearful reaction escalates. But the moment anyone dehumanises you becomes by default the same moment they've dehumanised themselves. It is not necessarily a bad thing if we can see this contradiction it for what it is, an error to fix and if we can find it's point of cause and effect we will know how. Nonetheless I think we should try to keep our faith behind the neuropsych pioneers and remain grateful at least while they develop their research for all they do share with us along the way. It's all a work in progress like this doc demonstrates.

  32. After looking at Hares Checklist which supposedly states whether someone is phsycopathic its obvious that they and moronic and relates to one branch of phsycotic which is the ones that lash out and have no control. No wonder they are having trouble controlling, understanding and helping them...

  33. To be perfectly honest you will never, and i repeat never be able to understand the mind of a phsycopath. Its stupid to even believe that its possible to forcefully change their mind or how it works. The researchers here are obviously stupid as their biased and limited research do not add up to a real logical reason. You should know each person is different and i personally find it extremelly offencive and cruel when they label phsycopaths as monsters, cruel or evil. And as for dangerous goes every person is capable of killing and i personally believe that most of the murderous phsycopaths are able to see beyond the fake innocence of everyone.

  34. I have PHD in psychology, and although the psychological information you are providing is somewhat true, the way in which you are presenting it and the language you are using is incredibly immature and (sorry but) uneducated.
    Using terms like " the brains and behaviour of psychopaths" and your clear misunderstanding of human nature and how "brain malfunctions" work and occur, demonstrate how it is inappropriate for you to comment on this topic.

    Presenting information with limited knowledge to support it can be dangerous, as important, objective and relevant research like this can be wrongly tied to false understanding about a topic such as this.

    I'm not trying to be mean or hurtful or say your stupid, but the comments you have made about this documentary are inaccurate and offensive to those with mental health issues.

  35. psychopath seems like a very broad diagnosis, there must be deeper subclasses of this psychological disorder

    1. What it comes down to is rules. Every psychopath has their own set of "wills" and "will not"'s.

      If you ask me, it starts with genes; you're either born to be one or you aren't (the brain chemistry difference), and then their fate is effectively sealed through their environment (traumatic experiences - usually during the childhood/developmental stage). A preset psychopath (genes) mixed with a developmental flaws (environmental factors) usually equals your Dahmers and Geins and D.C. snipers - what have you.

      The majority of psychopaths; the ones that "blend in", are still predispositioned to violence and irrational thinking - yet they are fully aware of their illness.

      It's very easy to write these people off because of their track record, yet it is important to remember that these people are in fact sick - their brains lack the ability to function normally - a diseased lack of humanity. While it is true that much of their actions cause harm to others, many times that is not their intent; they simply cannot make decisions with the needs and feelings of others in mind. However, most of them want nothing more to be considered "normal" - to blend in, to fit in with the rest of society, and more importantly to experience emotion like others do. Nothing can make you feel more empty than to -know- that you're a monster.

      In summation to your comment - you're absolutely right; the term "psychopath" is indeed a very broad stroke of a diagnosis. The field is new, and many advances will be made, yet I feel that it will be a very long time before we figure out the true nature of the multitude of categorized "psychopaths". Good call.

  36. This makes me afraid to get an MRI. I have a serious problem with right and wrong, and a general lack of morality. It gets me in trouble from time to time. I even killed my neighbors dog when I was a kid (I'm more of a cat person). It's not something I'm proud of - I've been dealing with my own head since I was a boy. It's not fun living every day in social settings where you have to double-check everything before it comes out of your mouth. If I were to always say what was on my mind, I'd probably have no friends. I can't help (really can't help) but to be fascinated by others' pain. I just enjoy it on a very dark level.

    That being said, I have a great relationship with my parents, a good group of friends, I've only ever been in two fights, I'd NEVER hit a woman or child, and I genuinely feel bad for people of great disadvantage (third world, diseased, etc.) Still, I can't escape my twisted self. My own brain keeps me far from being happy. It's particularly hard to hold down a relationship when the last thing you'd ever want is for someone to know what you're thinking.

    Ah well. Such is life, and such are the intricacies of the human brain. I bet we'll put a man on Mars before we've figured out each an every complexity it has inside.

  37. So is there any psychopaths that are no killer ? Maybe they just don't have no feelings but think more logic? This vid is going to make me look at the people around me very weirdly ....:)

  38. I don't feel bad for the women that claim to have been tormented their psychopathic "lovers". I feel bad for their children.
    Also we wouldn't have anymore of these sick individuals if women stopped mating and having kids with them.
    What the hell is wrong with you women?

    1. We were manipulated by our psychopathatic lovers. Thats what the hell was wrong with us jerk. You're probably a psychopath yourself being that you're not showing any signs of empathy for the women.

      Ooops must have gotten a little too emotional on you lol...Had a flashback of a bad experience with my Ex :)

    2. why like this? whether men or women both are human beings. both have heart and brain. there are bad men and women as well. but women gets maximum sympathy in soceity from their relatives and friends. the tears of women can be seen in eyes whereas tears of men can be seen in heart. sometimes women cries dramaticaly ( crocodile tears ) whereas if men cries out there will be real meaning
      and pain.

      finaly love is god. love and affection is the best medicine. provided one should treat other with good heart, good intension and good vision and mind. then only we can see beatiful soceity and we can understand pain of all. giving pain is easy taking pain is difficult.

      all are human beings.

      regards
      knn murthy-bangalore-india

    3. It is still possible to show empathy, even if it isn't real. In fact, the best psychopaths often blend right in with everybody else.

      I apologize for your experience with you Ex though. Hope you landed yourself a regular guy.

    4. Thank You ;-D

    5. "What the hell is wrong with you women?" - Really George Smith? Your statement REAKS of an uneducated, unjustified & a border line retarded stench! First and foremost...it isn't JUST women! Men are too victimized by these predators! Yes I said Predators! Their victims are usually very smart, intelligent and capable people who didn't see through the facade and manipulation of such a cold hearted plot to destroy them. We simply cannot & did not even fathom such a conscience degree of destruction. We TRUSTED and that's what got us into trouble...not that we are dumb...you moron!

      Secondly, although there can be a genetic link, it doesn't mean that we have to (as you so eloquently called it) "mate" with one to produce another. Psychopaths/sociopaths can be born from two people never having a mean bone in their body - and visa versa, two sociopaths can have normal children with all the empathy of people like (me).

      Thirdly, I wouldn't wish a psychopath/sociopath on anyone, but for you I would make an exception. Perhaps (if) you "lived" through the devastation of what these seemingly "normal" and "functional" monsters can inflict on another, you may actually change your tune and come out slightly less dumb than you present yourself at this time.

      I'm siding with "knowledgeizpower"s comment "You're probably a psychopath yourself being that you're not showing any signs of empathy for the women". But then again, I'm not getting that you are even smart enough in your own head to be classified with a PS or SP.

      Get your facts straight before spouting off something you CLEARLY have little to NO knowledge on!

      If the words here are too big for you, please refer to Wiki dictionary for some guidance!

    6. REAKS ?

    7. thanks for writing this.

    8. You can't lump all women into that category. You're completely ignoring the other situations e.g. RAPE. As I hope you know rape can come in many forms e.g. via drugging the victim, threatening the victim into submission etc. Also, you're ignoring the fact that the women WILL feel as though they cannot leave for various reasons.
      My mum was in a relationship with a schizophrenic man for a long time and I can tell you right now she tried her hardest to get away from him. She was with him from the age of 14 to 21. At 21 she managed to escape and by moving every few months it helped to keep away from him, however he still found her but by that time she was seeing other people who protected her. She had 2 children to him, my sisters Emma and Claire and she loved them dearly and did her best to keep them out of harms way and make sure they did not see what their Dad, Derek, did to her. She decided to get out when he started mentally abusing them. She would have been about 19 at the time (here in Britain the age of consent is 16).
      Basically what I am saying is that my Mother did not deserve the horrifying things Derek put her through e.g. playing a radio in her ear all night so she could not sleep, beating her to the point where she could not walk, driving her to having a mental breakdown that resulted in her being put into a mental hospital, etc. HE did that to her, and she tried several times to escape and also she took him to court numerous times but he managed to worm his way out.
      You are asking what is wrong with these women, however you are not asking yourself "what is wrong with these people that abuse their partners". We all say to ourselves that if our partner started hitting us or as such we would leave, however it is not as easy as you think.

    9. Sounds like Derek has a sever case of Psychopathy with a large helping of a**hole on the side. I'm sorry for your mother, but I''m glad to hear that she found the strength to take her life into her own hands and get away from him.

      There's a sense of karma to this situation; a strong woman is the only thing that can save a man like him - she can love him and, if he is willing, he can learn to love back. He threw that chance away, and now it is safe to say that he will never be happy, and probably die alone.

      And you are correct; I can't imagine the fear, possibilities and grim scenarios that must run through the mind of a battered woman. It's sickening.

    10. Actually, the "warrior gene" - the predisposition to psychopathy - is a recessive trait and could lie dormant for generations. There's a chance that you and your loved one may have it - i.e. there's a chance that your offspring could end up just like one of these "sick individuals" you speak of.

      Mill that around the old noggin for a bit and reconsider your statement.

    11. but there's a big difference between a rage gene, which causes anger management issues and being an actual psychopath, who is completely lacking in any emotion or empathy toward other whatsoever.

    12. Talk about a lack of empathy. You clearly don't understand the game of the psychopath. They are actors. Two of the traits of a psychopath are glibness and charisma. Women OR Men (because women are psychopaths as well) who become victims of psychopaths may not realize it until all the money has run out, years later.

      Also, getting out of any kind of abusive relationship is tremendously difficult and can be dangerous.

    13. So therefore, if you lack empathy, you're a psychopath. Sounds like psychiatric McCarthyism. You clearly don't understand anything.

    14. No, if you lack empathy, you are a sociopath. A psychopath is one that kills. Also, Narcissists, particularly Malignant Narcissists lack empathy. You seem to have missed the connection there. Apparently, you are the one who doesn't understand anything...or perhaps, you simply lack the empathy. :)

    15. In other words, unless I feel a certain way towards my fellow man, I'm a dangerous sociopath. How idiotic.

    16. Geez, dude, you didn't have to prove me right or anything...

    17. That is nothing even approaching an answer. Because I have no empathy for a someone as incompetent (and this is putting it mildly) as you, I am a sociopath.

      Also, dude is so low-class, but I guess my objection is based on my sociopathy.

    18. Keep showing how you are not a sociopath but unleashing your sociopathic tendencies. You're doing a bang up job of it. :)

    19. And you're going a bang up job of showing your ignorance.

    20. What does that mean coming from a sociopath? :)

    21. Precisely that. What are your qualifications other than some stu*id test that you read about and probably didn't understand in the first place? How do I know that you're not a sociopath? Besides, what's the harm in being one?

      You and those as ignorant as you do more harm than all those whom you ignorantly brand.

    22. Why so eager to prove me right all the time? :)

    23. That is no answer. Is it because you have no qualifications? Is it because you're really a sociopath? Is it because you feel that those who do not agree with you suffer from some psychological deficit? And speaking of psychological deficit, you still have not answered my question as to the harm done by sociopaths, probably because you can't.

    24. Just because you're an obsessive compulsive sociopath who can't get what he's being told doesn't mean it's not a legitimate answer. Still, you keep coming back showing more and more of your disturbed traits, the true mark of a sociopath: you just can't give up and go away quietly. Instead, you have to continue coming back even if it kills you.

    25. You keep calling me a sociopath, but when asked for your qualifications, you refuse to provide them. The only conclusion to be drawn is that you have none which gives rise to a charge of practicing medicine without a license. To bolster your groundless assertions, you criticize me for not quietly going away, reiterating your "diagnosis" of sociopathy and adding mental disturbance. I find you to be the disturbed one and whether you like it or not, I will keep coming back at you because deep down inside you're as ignorant and insecure as they come.

      The next time you call me a sociopath, you had better provide me with your qualifications or I will contact a moderator for a determination of possible violation of comment policy. Act accordingly.

    26. Gave @Avarita warning, but you realize takes "two to tango"
      my suggestion, ignore each other and do not argue back and forth please.

    27. @Avarita:

      Don't go calling any posters names. Fair warning.

    28. Excuse me, Your Royal Highness, but are you singling me out just because you like me better, because you want to be particularly biased, because you cannot read well or because only my posts are visible to you?

      BTW, in your world, what do you do when someone else attacks you first? As for that warning, what exactly do you intend to do if I don't stop defending myself? Shoot me, perhaps?

    29. @Avaritia:

      No, will not shoot you, but will ban you from SeeUat Videos this now is your "second warning", won't be a third,

    30. If that makes you happy, then, by all means.

    31. actually if you feel nothing toward everyone then you might be a sociopath

    32. If you don't act on it, what's the harm?

    33. the issue is they always act on it. they're basic instinct is immediate gratification. And they suffer from chronic boredom. Eventually they become numb to some things and move on more extreme things every time. The other end of the string is that they're like sloths, just want to do nothing, lay around and they will do whatever they have to so they can achieve this, like sucking other people dry of their money so they don't have to work. Also they tend to cheat a lot on their partners, and explode at them a lot. There are many different variations of them but no result from exposure to one is ever good.

    34. Nothing you've mentioned here is by itself illegal. If they suck others dry, it's the others' fault for allowing this to happen. Until the person breaks the law, I don't see any reason for alarm.

    35. no, a psychopath isn't one who necessarily kills. There are many different factors to psychopathy versus sociopathy. The big difference is that one is biological and another is a social construct. Hannibal Lecter may not be real, but he is a portrayal of an extreme case of a sociopath, because he was not born that way, he went through a traumatic experience that led to the outcome.

    36. you can have kids with psychopath and not have a psychopathic child, just like you can have a schizophrenic kid in a healthy family

  39. A very fascinating documentary. It comes to mind that an intelligent psychopath, and many of them are, could use the scanning criteria to engineer responses capable of fooling the test, and perhaps even learn to stimulate parts of the brain to fool MRI. A psychopath who becomes self aware of their condition is likely to go to extraordinary levels to disguise the fact. It is also likely they may point out the psychopathy of others they recognize to draw attention away from themselves. Certainly I would put forward that the individuals who lack compassion and understanding towards psychopaths are themselves psychopathic or borderline personalities, and this includes some of the people treating the disorder, and some of the commentors here. The tricky thing here is that the lines blur. Psychopaths may actually be capable of feeling and exhibiting emotional responses, but not consistently. For example, some may be capable of most normal reactions but be cruel to animals, or have great compassion for animals but total disregard for other life. We live in a society that rewards and encourages various psychopathic tendencies; stoicism, warfare, vicarious behavior, competitive behavior, emotional disconnection and distance, humor based on cruelty or injury to others, ego worship. Most religious doctrines are handbooks of psychopathic development, and I would go so far as to say even the Buddhist tenants of unattachment fit this statement. This leaves us with a chicken and egg problem, for it infers that while some psychopaths are born, others may be conditioned by society itself to be desensitized to emotional stimuli and ethical values to point of psychopathic behavior traits.
    I cannot discount the possibility that I may display some of these traits myself. I am aware that have encountered and recognized psychopaths of dangerous potential, indeed have been attracted to and formed relationships with some of them. I am capable of emotional responses that fit within the palette of "normal" human behavior, but also capable of overriding or even simulating these responses if required. I am a sensitive and highly intelligent person who does not condone violent solutions to problems, loves animals and has a genuine love of some people in my life, including some the psychopaths I have met. I am capable of remorse and of change of behaviors that cause problems or discomfort to others. Yet I am also aware that if required by circumstance I could behave in the exact opposite without remorse, and that this capacity lies hidden inside everyone.
    Dangerous psychopaths are generally those without the means to recognize personal danger or process the consequences of their actions. A psychopath who recognizes that certain behaviors will lead to incarceration or execution will act of self preservation and self interest, and be a model citizen in most regards, perhaps even more consistently so than most ordinary people.
    These are the ones who are intelligent and self controlled enough to realize their best survival chance is to remain unnoticed, not stand out in the crowd and draw attention, not cause chaos.
    Deep within their private thoughts however they may well entertain fantasies of harm to others and society, and have narcissistic tendencies masked by their protective introversion. But then, so do many "normal" people.

  40. The fact is we have to deal with them because they are our bosses, neighbors, parents, siblings, and worst of all they may be your child's other parent. You won't get help by the system. It is like dancing on eggshells when these people have access to your kids. It is terrifying when your child's other parent cannot love them. They tell you that you should try to get along, but they don't understand that what that would take is neglecting your own children. Wouldn't you step in if you saw any child getting abused? In this case, when you do, you are cast as equally harmful. They see themselves as the victims also, so it takes a miracle to ever uncover the reality esp. as the real victims deny it themselves eventually because they receive no validation or help. It is lonesome and terrifying. it has nothing to do with you. Pray that people start to see who they are. That is almost all you can do. They won't ever see themselves and they won't ever care about anyone else, except to the extent they reinforce their narcissistic belief about themselves. If you threaten to expose them to themselves they will hate you and that is a terrifying place to be -- hated by someone who has no conscience. They can ruin your life without ever getting arrested, and usually they will do it and look like you did it to yourself.

  41. I think that they should be shot. Who cares in "healing" them or trying to make them see what have done or to feel somewhat kind of remorse for their actions. They are born predators the world is one big obstacle for them and "somewhat normal people" are their prey. I say kill them.

    1. ....did you even watch the doc?

      You do realize that this is a brain malfunction, don't you? Should we kill all the mentally handicapped? What about paranoid schizophrenics? Might as well kill off the elderly too, because we all know how many they kill each year with their cars (undoubtably more than psychopaths). What about tobacco reps? They kill more than all of the aformentioned combined.

      I'm not trying to make you feel stupid; I'm just pointing out the obvious flaw in your logic; a flaw that could've been easily avoided had you thought a little bit about what you were going to say before you said it.

      Just my two pesos.

    2. You are portraying some of the symptoms yourself by not caring if a psychopath lives or dies. Psychopathy is in all of us. Simply said look around. Psychopathy is the human mind.

  42. Having been in love with, and victimized by a true psychopath, I found this to be fascinating.

  43. We used to have personality and characteristics, now we have mental and social 'problems', and a ton of anxiety. Science is the study of how magic works. The difference between a scientist and a mage is, simply, that a scientist wants to figure out how and why magic works... A mage just accepts it and utilizes it.

  44. Having just watched this documentary I am amazed, it would seem that some people think that our brain has evolved a body in which it exists, whilst other people think that our body has evolved a brain with which to think. How about a our thoughts and feelings interactively evolving together so that if you as an individual create a "perceptual" balance of thoughts and feelings that is useless, unacceptable or inappropriate your genetic evolution will effectively cease over time. I of course could be totally incorrect on this issue but then if I am wouldn't it be likely that my genetic type will also disappear over time as well?

  45. Has anyone considered the turmoil you'd be putting a psycopath in if you cure them? You would be turning them into conscientious people who now have to deal with all the guilt, remorse and dissonance brought about by their history and past actions. To me it seems too highly unethical to even attempt pulling something like that off. not on humans, we should never let such a mad idea tarnish science.

    1. no, we should just let them keep doing bad things to innocent people for the rest of their empty lives because it would be a terrible thing if they stop being self-centered, destructive and start feeling gully for their past cruel actions. Just think about it, they might even become a productive member of society and be able to feel love or true happiness…heaven forbid! Of course we should still give are children mind altering drugs so we can relax after a hard days work and not have to deal with childish behavior!

  46. This is absurd, people please lay off the "psychotics". These can be gentle, empathic, and often brilliant people. One has won a noble prize. Just because someone embraces irrational thought doesn't make him an enemy of the state WTF!

    1. The mentally ill? Sure. But psychopaths? No. Some might be gentle and brilliant, but by definition they are not empathic.

    2. I'm pretty sure you're thinking of schizophrenics. Big difference.

    3. dude no I meant psychotics. which can be part of schizophrenia. I wasn't
      referring to psychopaths. "big difference" comment is stupid and obvious.

  47. This is absurd, people please lay off the "psychotics". These can be gentle, empathic, and often brilliant people. One has even won a noble prize. Just because someone embraces irrational thought doesn't make him an enemy of the state

  48. It would be nice if you could list some info about the documentaries. Congrats on the webpage, really good :)

  49. Does anybody know how I can cite this documentary? I need to know the director and such things.

  50. does anybody know how I can cite this documentary? I need to know the director and such things but I don't know where I can find it

  51. does anyone know how well psychopaths can detect other psychopaths?

    1. Ted Bundy said so. He was an extreme psychopath.

    2. LOL - I wouldn't trust a psychopath!

    3. From my subjective observations, psychopaths detect each other almost instantly, even without verbal exchange.

    4. Ted Bundy describes severe serial killer psychopaths actually hunting togeter and killing together. He mentioned he had joined up with another several times to hunt and kill. He also said that he and other violent and dangerous psychopaths prefer to hunt and kill alone. They do not like to work together.

  52. This is a very informing video, although I'm not quite sure if I liked it. The video made it clear that there is a division between the humane..."us" and the psychopathic..."them." Clearly, psychology is a professional science that creates experiments and studies human behavior, but one thing this video fails to demonstrate is objectivity, which IS science. I am not a defined "psychopath", nor do I know any, but it's almost insulting to hear these professionals in the field of Psychology denote these ill people as "monsters" and create a fission between "us" and "them". After all they are still human beings. Certainly, I am not disregarding the fact that they have potential to act out violently or hurt people emotionally, but if science is terming these people as "ill", then let that be. They should not term them as "ill" and "vicious". That serves as negative impressions towards the public who are now convinced to do anything BUT help these sick people. The assessment test just seems a to lack credibility to me because there are too many variables with this topic to subject psychopathic behavior as completely inhumane. They must identify some other human qualities polar to the ones already used that psychopaths can possess that can be helpful towards diagnosis. This documentary was hard to take seriously because of all of the judgements, assumptions and subjectivity. The psychologists in this video need to worry more about helping these people, rather than subjecting them to barbaric and inferior positions, because by doing that, they're acting as one of "them".

    1. We all want (and should) be empathetic to as many creatures, human and animal, as possible. However, your remark indicates you've never actually been run over by one. Once that happens, you'll have this long grieving process where you finally conclude that what hit you wasn't exactly human, at least not in the way we define humanity (conscience / remorse, empathy, ability to connect or love, desire to improve and respect for life vs. mere objects). All of the evolved sensibilities are gone; what's left is cold calculation and heartless manipulation. There is no cure; you can't reform them. They don't want to be reformed; they are 100% content and even proud of how they use and abuse one person after another. Also note that psychopaths as a group now hold the majority of key power positions in the world; they are far from being in an inferior position. If any group is in danger, it is the non-psychopathic group of humanity.

    2. To the above commenter: You said you are not a psychopath, nor have you ever known one. You are not speaking from a position of knowledge, dear. I was raised by pathologicals, married one and was involved in a relationship with another for ten years. This is more than just an "illness". It is evil and perverse. Psychopaths are completely and IRREVERSIBLY personality DISORDERED. For all the humanity you believe should be displayed to psychopaths, I assure you that they would not display the same "grace" to you. This is why you cannot understand them, unless you have dealt with them or you have studied them at length. They are the reason for millions of dollars lost to the many victims that have had the MASSIVE tragedy of being caught in their paths. They ruin businesses, corrupt and destroy home lives, women, children, friends and relatives. You used the term "acting out", that is utterly laughable and goes to the heart of your ignorance on this matter. Please refer to Robert Hare's book "without a conscience" or Martha Stout's "The sociopath Next Door". THIS portrayal of the most destructive personality disorder is accurate and frightening. When you have read it, please come back and comment again

    3. PS2: very true, unless you live with them and even that, it takes a while for you to figure them out. This is not like cancer, it takes time to see and understand the symptoms and traits. And it is genetic in most cases! Usually, people (friends) walk away from the relationship without trying to find out what is wrong with them. But when they are part of your family (spouse, brother,sister), you can see the obvious. But most relatives try to believe otherwise, they even spend years trying and hoping to cure them but they always fail. Over the years, they have destroyed my life and they are about to finish the rest of it.........I don't know if there is a formula to deal with them but if you one please share it with me.

  53. Jexxica, thank you for your kind words and thoughtful understanding. Lee, bad grammar doesn't make a bad person, not even a mean spirited person deserves a sociopathic child.

  54. lee,

    i am not a huge fan of home schooling and i can also be unnecessarily attentive to errors related to grammar, spelling and punctuation. i do, however, really try and save my jackass comments for people that deserve them. why would you intentionally nit-pick at J? There are so many idiots that are so inane that it would be completely appropriate to attack them online - you need not hunt far or long to find them. but yet you are here being mean-spirited just for the sport of it.

    J was sharing a personal experience that was relevant to the documentary. Not only was it interesting, it was probably quite a painful chapter of her life that has no end in sight. Like almost everyone, i am sure she is short on time. given the length of what she shared with us, unless she is a professional writer, i doubt she had the time or desire to proofread her entry as if it was being published on the front page of the NYTimes. Her message was clear, and easy to understand. why should she have to spend the extra time expressing herself just to please u?

    Clearly you also score high on the sociopath/psychopath assessment.

  55. J,
    Perhaps you should have learned to properly use grammar, spelling and punctuation before you "home-schooled" your children...

  56. Sidoni,

    Probably true

  57. i am also very good with manipulating, reading troubled people. the only things i didnt have on the list was a criminal record and one or two others...

  58. According to this documentary, and to the checklist, I am a non-violent psycopath and I am only 17. I've been this way as long as I can remember. I recently wanted to know what the diognosis for my mental problems would be, and my schoool therapist said it could have a negative effect on me..well now I know why..it all makes alot of sense. Ive been trying to stop lying, being impulsive,guiltlessness, cheating and hurting people whom I'm sexually active ect ect. Im already diognosed with depression and on meds for it. (like most people in America) and I actually am graduating school a year earrly to go to college to be a criminologist...but what i want to know is where can i go once i graduate so people could further understand how my brain functions. I want to help and be understood in the process.

    1. You have it right. Those who have compassion need to find ways to integrate those who do not into society. I have been reading about this subject. I am much older than you so I have seen and read so many things that just did not make sense. Things that never made sense before make sense now. This is where I see room for error in diagnosis. Post traumatic stress syndrome can look very much like psychopathy. Someone who has been traumatized by a psychopath can be mistakenly diagnosed because they emotionally shut down. I have not seen anyone bring this up yet. I have suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome and it takes years to get better. Post traumatic stress syndrome is a holy grail for war veterans. No one will actually deal with people who have this condition and have not been in a war. We need some one who has an understanding of both. Someone has to do research and teach other therapists to be able to tell the difference. Please seriously consider this....this would be a good area of research for you. You could become an expert in this uncharted territory.

  59. It's true though. Soon everyone who is against the New World Order will soon be labeled as a "PSYCHOPATH" and will be either incarcerated or dead.

  60. Didn't watch yet.
    Try 1 in every 20 though.

  61. Good Doc... I belive its so hard to re-educate or
    corrcet psychopats and sex offenders,
    like pedophiles... but what can we do with them ?
    lock them up as soon as we found them or what ?
    I mean putting microchips inside the brain ?
    what about sex-recidivists ? I saw a Louis Theroux Doc. about
    sex-offenders in USA, Lucked up all their life...
    who has the right to decide to eradicate some one else ?
    what about history ..? Roms,Jews,Blacks,Tutsis,Bosniaks,...
    although I personally do not want to be around them but
    life or death decisions have a lot of consequences ..

  62. Fully understand the comments about micro chips etc...and agree that that would be a "slippery slope", but I do not think that the people making the comments completely understand the depth of the behaviors that are being discussed.

    I have brokenheartedly come to the conclusion that one of my daughters is a sociopath. She was definitely brought up in a loving home. She was encouraged in all of her endeavors am of the opinion that she was in fact born this way, not to absolve myself or my husband, but because there were many things that she did as a young child that were anti social, things that at the time we chalked up to her being a "difficult" child, and at the same time was extremely sweet to me her mother and the child I thought was "closest" to me. I thought that her lack of emotion was maturity at that time...she has never cried at a sad movie. We were not aware of the actual sinister activities she was committing until she was 18 years old. She has always been a beautiful girl, although we saw her sense of self importance early we thought it was due in part to the attention she got everywhere she went. She sang solo's in church from age 7 on She was always charming with the ability to read anyone, everyone liked her.

    She has always had a "charmed" life. She loves music and is very talented musically and we spared no expense to make sure she could develop those gifts. I could tell you many instances from her childhood, from her constant bullying of her siblings to her constant telling of lies but Id like to share just a couple of instances from here adult life to explain my "diagnosis”. She has a sister who is 3 years her junior, this sister, "A" we will call her has always had a quiet nature. "A" is not as attractive or charming as her sister. She is a sweet soul and while I was close to her before, around the time she turned13 she stopped confiding in me and seemed a little distant. When I would try to engage her, she would say that nothing was wrong etc...She was very close to her sister and I thought at the time that was good, that she was experiencing puberty ect....and had decided to confined in her sister (who in turn told me a lot of what "A" was thinking, which was mostly negative about me) I tried to be close with "A" but we thought it was a stage she would grow out of, this went on for a couple years.

    I home schooled my children (two daughters and two sons) until high school where they transferred to the local Preparatory school. At this time our daughter told teachers at the school that we were abusive...they went to our other children who confirmed that we were not...she got a job at 18 years old and started dating a boy we did not like, she was intimate with him and decided to leave our home. One day she came to visit telling me she was worried about "A" that she was going to hurt herself...I became upset and she said she would help "A" because they were close, and that if I confronted "A" that it would cause her to do it. After telling my husband who at this time suspected our daughter of some foul play told me to just ask "A" and tell her what her sister had said.

    I did, and that was a watershed moment. "A" broke down telling me she knew that any affection I showed her was fake and she knew I didn’t want her and the only one who loved her was her sister....you see for years her sister under the guise of loving her was systematically controlling and destroying her little sister, her "talks" with were really the same as her talks with me..." "A" just cant stand you, I don't know why, your such a great mom...there must be something wrong with her" to "A” she would say "I don’t know why mom doesn't love you, she loves everyone but you she’s a bad mom." if "A" questioned her because I was nice to "A" our daughter would convince her it was a show because I couldn't come right out a say that right? "A" and I are very close now, thank God, and have both distanced ourselves from the other daughter, who is now 24 and ruining other lives....she is married and reeking havoc in her husbands family separating him and the 14 year old sister he loved dearly by pretending the sister steals from them (because she’s jealous)all the time...he believes his wife who seems so sweet and innocent, or she stages things so he will find something missing and she can say "I don’t know but your sister was here”. It is her particular "forte" if you will to control people’s emotion; she gets a lot of satisfaction.

    She has been caught stealing a few times, one time college books we would have gladly paid for; somehow she charmed the police and got away with it. She stole $1500 from her job by concocting a way to steal money orders, when she was caught she called her grandmother begging for help, GM paid and MGR didn’t press charges. She has told her husbands parents we were abusive...I guess so that they don't like us and therefor won't have the opportunity to ever compare notes..ohhhhhh the list goes on and on and on....Our other children are all healthy and productive hardworking and moral young adults!
    Our daughter has absolutly no remorse for the hurt she causes and spins everything. It is useless to try to help her.... They were all raised in the same environment and all loved and nurtured extensively!

    So I really do believe that she was born that way and had she not been born to a good home but a bad one, she may be violet, and I have always thought she was capable of violence, by her reactions to things, like the time I bought her sister a bikini and didnt bring one for her..she freaked out..I locked my bedroom door that night, and felt stupid because of it. or the time we bought our first home she was 13 and was extreamly upset and surprised that the master bedroom was ours and not hers. If I did the checklist with her in mind she would score a 36

    1. I can totally relate!

  63. Almira,

    Some psychopaths are serial killers, but when you consider that about 1% of the population are psychopaths, only 1 in 20,000 to 30,000 psychopaths are actually serial-killers. Serial killers are actually a rare form of psychopath.

    I should note that the psychopaths that become serial-killers usually have serious underlying problems (in addition to just being a psychopath) that cause them to act in the manner in which they act.

  64. i heard that psychopath related to serial killer as i watch from movies. most of them are obsessed to kill rather than others. i was afraid when i heard about this and my imagination bring me to chaos on my self....

  65. Marlin,

    The definition of psychopath and sociopathy are largely the same in terms of personality traits; the difference comes down to whether the traits are inborn (psychopathy), or are environmentally caused (bad childhood, brain-damage, etc).

    Many psychopaths do not realize something is wrong with them, but there are some who are well aware of the fact that they lack a conscience. As for your statement about them being very primal -- that's correct, they generally are in one way or another (due to lacking the ability to empathize with others) a primitive hunter-gatherer who, early on, learns to act like a normal human being.

    As for your statements about Tonya's boyfriend, you're wrong. He fits the profile for a sociopath/psychopath pretty well.

    Regarding what you said about George W. Bush, I can't definitively say he's a psychopath. Clearly, I think he's a narcissist, and I believe he would fit the antisocial personality disorder label, though the label is not exactly interchangeable with psychopathy -- it can include psychopathy, or narcissists who engage in criminal activity (but are capable of feeling remorse), and garden-variety criminals.

    I think we can all agree though that Dick Cheney is a psychopath. Pretty much everybody agrees on this one. I don't think he should be chipped, as I don't think anybody under any circumstance should be (it sets a dangerous precedent and opens up a very slippery slope); I do believe he should simply be punished for his actions. He clearly understands his actions were wrong, took great measures to avoid getting caught, and the crimes he committed could easily put him in jail for the rest of his life, or even net him a death-sentence -- presuming those in power were willing to actually do the right thing and prosecute him. Regardless, even if chipping was approved, it would only be implemented for people who have been involuntarily held in a psychiatric ward, or after a person had completed their jail sentence.

  66. george bush is a psychopath !!!"chip him"!!!

  67. {to tanya}
    1) the story about the family mem. thats a Sociopath . biiig difference. a psychopath dosent even no anythings wrong with him/her like their normal.
    2) psychopathy is not hereditary its a brain malfunction it can happen to anybody ate anytime - brain injury/tromatic experience excetra.
    3) ive been in psy. hosp. with some its really sad. imagine you were trying to cross a field. you can see the other side. its not the far away but u keep walking an walking an walking but the end never comes its always not to far away but never comes. thats probably the only thing in their head. a psychopath could not be that calculating the basically a human in its primitive form. when angered "kill kill kill".
    two year olds (usually) dont show empathy thay dont no what it is.
    "How would it make you feel if someone on purpose tried to make you crazy" ?. i have its called a wife.
    the family mem. situation. also sounds more like bypoler diss./mpd mult. per. dis.

  68. Tonya,

    Obviously you do not know me very well. My step dad was a psychopath -- he beat the s@#$ out of me, my younger brother, and my mother. He terrorized us from 1986 to 1997 (he died in 1997).

    Regardless, I also value basic freedom and human rights. I feel such a brain-chip, and empowering a government to impose such a treatment on a non-consentual human-being is a very slippery slope; it would inevitably spread in use from treating psychopaths, to various sexual deviants, to criminals, and eventually to outspoken critics of governments (some of which have horrendous human-rights records). It would effectively constitute a form of mind-control.

  69. I see all of these negative comments about this documentary and I can say you have not been a victim or a survivor of a psychopath because if you were you would certainly understand how severe the problem is. There is nothing that could explain the damage they cause. I am going through it now. 3 months out of the relationship that was a hoax. My psychopath has a younger brother who has been diagnosed a sociopath and their father and guess what. We have a son. He is almost 2 and i tell you has not shown one ounce of empathy yet. I know what his father did to the both of us, convincing me how bad he wanted a family and abused the hell out of us, it was all calculated and planned and he enjoyed every moment of terrorizing us. How would it make you feel if someone on purpose tried to make you crazy. EXAMPLE: One day they say I dont know why I abuse, clearly acting like they are crying and sincere, then 5 min later while your tring to console you they look you dead in the eye and almost growl I NEVER SAID THAT, with a look like they are going to kill you. They know that people possess empathy and they think they are better because they dont and they will suck you dry. Now knowing that this is potentially genetic and having my only child mind you, if I knew for certain that my son was a psychopath and is destroying other peoplke for sheer pleasure. I WOULD let them put a chip in him. Because I know as many others from unfortunate intimate personal experience the damage they can and will do. How bout I know my son is and he marries your daughter and they have grandchildren after he has charmed you and your family and destroys your family (YOUR CHILD) and grandchildren, or even killed them. How would you feel then, especially if I KNEW and this chip was out and available! You would want to hold me responsible would you not? My psychopaths dad recently died and Had 6 kids that we know about, that he never raised and terrorized and left the mothers to fend for themselves and making baby after baby.
    Him telling me he will get his son back when he is 5 because I am going to be dead. Then leave and come back and act like nothing ever happened and you had better play along. This is a serious problem and I am thankful that SOMEONE IS SMART ENOUGH to recognize that this is a HUGE problem. I understand the other aspects that yall are talking about but I dont think you have been touched by one or more of these horrible people. My hope is that you and your children never do. How do you think that will ever be possible. RESEARCH and I support it 100%. I am by no means calling my 2 year old a psychopath but he is soon going into behavioral therapy to try and curb this behavior from ever happening. I got away from his dad as soon as I could and studied and I have to be a responsible mother to my child and his wife, friend, kids and generations ahead. If we dont do this and do something soon, You or your child easily can become a victim to these vicious predators and then I promise you will have a much more open mind and life and heart that is shattered in a million pieces and you alone will be left to try to put it back together and try and figure out what just happened.

  70. I think the idea of putting a microchip into the brain of a person to alter their behavior, especially empowering the government to impose such treatment is dangerous in principle.

    While it would definitely tame the psychopath, the odds that such technology would be used by those in power to exert control and breed a blindly conformist society, would be virtually 100%. In the event it was initially authorized only for use in treating psychopaths, it would inevitably be expanded to sex-offenders, then ordinary criminals, then those who possess sufficient critical thinking to expose the misconduct of government as well as those who have the willpower to speak out against it.

    The fact that ethical standards have not been kept in pace with scientific advancement, and the fact that scientific-advancement has been driving policy to an extent never before seen only adds to the highly disturbing potential for abuse. While it is important to know what can be done, it is highly dangerous to dictate policy entirely around the basis of what can be done without consideration as to what should be done.

  71. Are they not describing basic animal instincts? All animals except humans will kill to ensure their own success. So is a psychopath just a basic, animal-minded human?

  72. I haven't watched yet but, I've read some comments. It seems that this "psychopathy" thing could be another profit stream for the drug companies...

    The screened patient says,

    "I don't wanna be a psycho, so I'll take these prescribed psychotropic drugs, my kids too(preventative maintenance)."

    1. Wait... when you have your life destroyed by one.. I do not believe that these psychotropic drugs can help. I don't want to be a psycho has a translation in psycho talk. It really means I'll take these drugs to make you happy for now. As soon as I get out of here I'll get you and everyone who put me here.

  73. To all the ones who don't believe this documentry to be true, had better wake the f@#$ up! Where do you think 95% of the worlds money go's? and what the cause's most of the worlds problems thruout history. If you don't believe psychopath's exist, then you are a prime target for one.

  74. @ Still Suffering: Your post is a little old, but how old is your son? Surely he could run away from living with his father or call children's aid (or whatever they have in austrailia) and make false (or real) claims about him.

    To those with experience in psychology: I'm not sure if it's stated in this particular doc (haven't watched it for some time), but in psychpaths the amygdala in the brain is smaller and doesn't communicate with the forebrain as well as in normal people.
    My theory is that at if a child discovers at a young age that behaving like a psychopath is a successful life strategy (and it can be, can't it? From a purely selfish standpoint it works quite well), the brain of said child will grow in a way that supports that strategy.

    BTW, psychopaths do exist. I have met a couple in my life. One of them lived used to live on my street and the other works with me. Keep in mind that most of the time psychopaths are charming and friendly. Even if you know what to look for it is not easy to identify a psychopath unless you see his/her aggressive side.

    One more thing. Psychopaths are extremely self-centred. The best way to anger one is to humiliate them in public. The best way to deal with one is to act as though you like and respect them. You don't necessarily have to pretend to approve of their actions. It's not like they care what you think anyway.

  75. some of these things r characteristics of a sociopath not psycho

  76. From life experiences,as a victim more than one time, I know psychopaths exist and traits can show up very early in childhood. It is only in recent months that I have put a name to this disease and its characteristic behaviors.

  77. I don't know where you are talking about Milton Babb, but you must be or a muslim or a German nazi lover. What you say doesn't make since at all, unless you are just a Jew hater. I believe, you really don't know where you are talking about.

  78. One part of the world produced the breed stock for the psychopaths we see today their GOD led them to a promised land where the very air is poisonous. The air has enought bromine to damage the human brain into mild to acute insanity. That is why they abandoned that place finally 2600 yrs ago.The Jews there now are not real Jews, they are Ashkenazi.The Jews there now are not real Jews, they are Ashkenazi. All the long time residents of that land are psychopaths, but you knew that from the news videos.

  79. In my opinion it is very wrong to add microchips inside brains to turn the person's personality to what the cosiety wants.

    Who said the society is so good in the first place? The society is corrupt and far from being perfect in many ways - people are also influenced badly from what society reflects as "right". Acting as "everybody else does", isn't always the right thing to do. Individualism is always important.

    This step will make the govermant and the upper hand organizations influence people in a more efficient way, not for our benifit but for theirs.

    I dissagree with this. I don't liek this documentary in many ways. They used the example of a business man, trying with his own strategy to become the boss. It's not a psychotic behaviour, even if it's "wrong". Alot of things like that happen, and it doesn't neccessarily mean that the person has to be a psychopath. Infact, you can see these kind of things happen in our daily life alot. It's very common.

    What's good with psychopaths, is the fact that it is almost impossible to influence them. It's something that it wouldn't hurt us to learn from them. Thinking for yourself, and not let society think for you. Even if it means that people will look at you wierdy. (as long as it doesn't hurt others and yourself).

  80. I want to react on "Onur09/16/2009"... Onur, you state that you have a PhD. well, if you use words like "hell" and "bull****" to other people that doesn't make you sound like someone with a PhD. in psychology. I would more believe you are someone with a lack of intelligence, because people with very low intelligence use those words. Someone with a PhD. would have the knowledge to use proper words!

  81. I agree with and feel for Chris Dillon and Solo Pocono. I have been caused hell by a psychopath for the last nine years. Currently this person is attempting to gain custody of our son for a second time and looks like he may well get my son even though my son has never ever lived with him and doesn't like him. My son's father bullies him, lies to him and much more, yet this psychopath is able to convince people that I am the one at fault. My truth (even tho I have proof), my son's description of the treatment by his father, and my partner's evidence, are all rejected by professionals, Court appointed psychologists and judges and they believe the lies of the psychopath (even though he lies so much he contradicts himself). If my son is taken from me, and made to live with his father, he will be caused huge psychological trauma, yet it is allowed to happen because the Australian Family Law pretty much automatically blames the mother when a child doesn't like his father.

    Psychopaths cause hell to the lives of people who come close to them and who dare to stand up to them. I often wonder when my and my son's nightmare will end. This person has a very well paid job, so he can afford to hire solicitors to keep taking me to court and keep wreaking havoc on our lives.

    No person who wants to cause a child huge trauma by taking him from who he has always lived with and loved has one iota of conscience.

    Can anyone out there please help me?

    1. MARTHA STOUT'S BOOK-THE SOCIOPATH NEXR DOOR IS VERY HELPFUL IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING... Here is how to get people on your side. Leave the book out in the open. When someone asks about it. Open it to page 156 have them read to page 163. Thirteen rules for dealing with sociopaths in everyday life. Reading this section takes about 10 minutes of thier time. Most people will borrow or buy the book after reading this. This is how in 10 minutes you can get people to start investigating. After they read the book they will see when and where they have been victimised in thier own past. We have all been victimised. A sociopath would not volunteer this book to anyone. A sociopath would not put this book out in the open where people can see it. You will be shocked at how quickly people will start passing the book around and getting everyone around them to read it. All of a sudden the whole situation changes. I sincerely hope this helps you.

  82. I wish they could my psychopath sister that microchip maybe it would end her path of destruction.

  83. Altering their brains with microchips or rewiring is a violation of their god given rights. If someone volunteers for a chip it would be okay and a good research opportunity. And that could be offered to these prisoners as an incentive to lessen their jail term. But forcibly altering these people's brains is ludicrous and will set a terrible precedent when it comes to who's next? Sexual deviants, drunk drivers, etc. It is way to nazi like.

    They deserve their freedom until they commit a crime and end up in jail. Then they can be diagnosed and offered the latest greatest technological treatments as part of their choice at that time. You know what I'm saying.

    1. Many psychpaths start committing crimes between ages 8 to 12. The crimes are usually glossed over because they are children. They learn what they can and can not get away with. If they have intelligence and are good looking they can fit into society. Do not make the mistake of thinking that they can't figure out what they can do that may not be tehnically illegal. They can also figure out that to take them to find a lawyer willing to assist you in taking them to court costs money. If they have financially ruined someone they have no money left over to take them to court to sue them for damages. If they do not have intelligence and are not good looking or have another disorder along with psycholpathy they usually end up in jail over and over.

  84. I never believed in the existence of true psychopaths or the harmfulness of certain bullies, until I met one when I started my job. Suddenly, a charming professional showed a 2nd face, wanting to have your life--misrepresentation, isolation, and threatening.

    I am a prof. with a PHD, for whatever it is worth, I did not believe what got to my ears or eyes, behind the doors of my office. Then, with external help, I requested an office move within a few weeks. And I discovered a series of truths about my workplace. Of course, unimaginably nasty things followed after that: fabrication of things you would never have had a clue about

    Those are liars! I strongly recommend that if you find yourself in such a serious situation, take it seriously. Believe in your instincts!!! Talk to your friends and stay open with your external channel of communication. Record the nonsense spinning around. DO NOT STAY isolated! Google "serial bully". I gave that person 100+ when I ran down of list of behaviors documented at the website. May peace be with all the people who deserve it!

  85. A psychopath is born, a sociopath is created(a result of the enviorment).

  86. I agree with the other people who have talked about the experience of being victimised by a psychopath - it is a real horror. And the worst part of it is - the abuse is covert - there are no witnesses and nobody outside the home can believe that this charming and witty individual could ever do the evil things you know they have done. Why psychopathy is not widely known about in society baffles me - 4% of the population - more than suffer from anorexia or schizophrenia yet both those conditions are well known by the general public.

    The devastation a psychopath brings to the lives of others is truly tragic - they spend all the money, create crazy situations and chaos, lie and deceive, abuse in all kinds of ways, exploit and demand attention. Unless you have been through it you would not believe it is possible. And the victims are gradually brainwashed as their self esteem is decimated by this person who claims to 'love' them. Psychopaths are incapable of love in any form - they are incapable of adult relationships and are the worst parents ever - they use children as objects, just like their spouses. We urgently need public education about these predators.

    Like or don't like the documentary -= at least it is raising public awareness and getting word out that there are some very dangerous people in society who look to all intents and purposes like the person next door. The doco uses simple language and explanation to explore the salient issues around psychopathy. Maybe if all those who have Phds in psychopathy picked up a camera they could help raise awareness. Research reports are great for increasing clinical knowledge, but that doesn't help the average person in the street learn to protect themselves against these sickos or learn how to extricate themselves from a tangled and destructive relationship.
    Many thanks for this site and for putting up this documentary :)

  87. schizophrenic, alcoholic, anorexic, manic depressive....

    nobody ever argues about the existence of any other illness, it seems, except the term psychopath. this fact never really bothered me before, it is not something i really ever thought about or dwelled on. why would i? there was no need to. until i was victimized by a psychopath.

    like i said on another post. until you have experienced this horrifying experience first hand you can not truly understand how awful it is and what is worse than the abuse is when others deny the abuse and that these people even exist.

    it is like trying to explain to someone who has never taken a hallucinogenic drug what it is like to take it. the person who has never tried can try and imagine it, but, until they experience it they can not EVER understand.

    it is the same with being victimized by a psychopath.

    could you imagine a child or a spouse of an abusive alcoholic listening to other people deny that alcoholics even exist???

    we have probably all engaged in behaviors that can be classified as psychopathic at some time of our lives just like we have all probably been drunk before. but, this fact does not make us a psychopath or an alcoholic.

    believe me, once you experience the real deal, and unfortunately it seems with almost all victims of this, don't realize until the damage has already occurred that it is happening......you will know, with certainty that you have been victimized by a psychopath and then all of this will suddenly make sense to you.

    and whether the abuse is financial, spiritual, sexual, physical or emotional rape all victims seem to suffer the same symptoms afterwards. it is a damage on the deepest level of the soul, spirit and psyche and that it is a violation of the worst kind.

  88. Yep. It's tragic to see that peoples don't believe in truth.

    I have suffered a lot due to a sociopathic mother and father.
    My sister (19year) have sociopatic traits, and I saw quickly that she had a low empatic level as a kid. She is not a bad person, but she is very insecure about herself. If she wasn't born I would be more damaged, so I am glad that I've got to know her.

    Well. Fast forward several painful years as I lost myself when I was a little kid.

    I am going to a psychology now, she is the third and she is supposed to have special competance. She shows most of the psychopatich traits and have asked once about my ecomical situation. Weird. I have to prevent myself to be exploited. :)

    She gives me a little information here and there, a little hope, half of information while trying to remove my resistance. For several weeks I felt more powerless around peoples, but my body and instinct understood what was happening when I met her the third time:

    The only thing I could to do last time was to act fully in the moment with resistance. Don't understand, just act. Pure clean hate emerged by insinct together with a calm feeling of love. Nothing more. Yes it's dirty, so you'll have to accept and use your darker side. Be in peace with yourself is a really powerful resistance and is much stronger than hate emerged from a controlling need of feeding her own ego. (books from Eckart Tolle are wonderful!)

    I don't act out of my egofical need, as I have no need to win to feel good. She got so frustrated that she had to storm out when the hour was over. LOL!

    Of course I felt a little bad after, but my body cleansed itself the day after when I slept and was alone for a while.

    I look at this as a oppurtiny to come in contact with my darker side, but I'll only meet once more (I'm sure that she have prepared herself more to the next meeting!), and tell her "no more meetings" as it takes a lot of energy from me.

    Look at these as angry small kids (<5 year) who only wants to feel good about themselves. Don't give what they wants.

    Good luck!

  89. Yes, I agree.

    Charles is a kind soul. :D

  90. Charles, that's very thoughtful of you. :)

  91. Watched this twice. Facinating. Does the brain dysfunction cause the psychopothy or the "evil" nature they have, (hey, just calling a spade a spade), or does the evil eventually lead to a brain disorder known as pscychopothy? The Bible talks about people "seering" thier consciences with a hot iron by repeated evil doing. How could a holy God judge evil if one has no concept of that which is evil? But, I think all psychopaths know they are doing evil, they just don't care. Once again, I know in my heart that God is just and no one shall decieve Him, not even the "natural born" psychopath.

    Solopocano: (sounds like "Alone and Small" in Spanish) Is that how you feel? I'm so sorry to hear your story. It's too bizarre and sad not to be true. You're probably right, that one or several of that family are psychopathic, especially your X-husband. I hope you can get your kids back leagally and then just disappear somewhere so they can't find you. I will pray for you tonight, as it's the only thing I can do to help. You have my sympathy. In fact, I'll be bold enough to pray for you right now:

    "Father, we pray for this poor lady that has lost her kids to this evil plotting man and his family (believing what she's said), and Father, I ask that you would give her wisdom how to get her kids back and safe leagally, and how to deal with this situcation. Lord, I ask that you take this man's attention and evil nature and focus off this woman and concentrate it on something else. Let him loose interest in destroying her and thus loose whatever interest he has in the kids. Father help her not to be consumed by bitterness and anger, but let Your perfect peace direct her, and restore her as well. Help her not want to take revenge, but leave that to Your hands alone. Your will be done, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen." One passing thought: He'll get tired of the kids and once he's believed his completely broken you (but don't let him in your heart of hearts), you may be able to get them back. Keep your head about you and have faith. Don't be bitter; it won't help a bit; that's his biggest weapon against you at the moment.

    P.S. "Father may every evil way and action in this whole family be know to all. Amen."

  92. First if all, I have a BIT of experience here-both personal and Professional. Like Chris above, I was also married to a psychopath/sociopath with violent tendencies and substance abuse. Whole he wasn't a "professional", he exuded a charm and "intelligence" which he would back up with chronic lies. I was VERY naive when I was younger, and being add myself, I chose to ignore all the "red flags", thinking someone as respected and loved by so many can't possibly be bad. It began just hours after our marraige vows, and continued until just 2 years ago when our youngest son turned 18, and took off that very day. When I'd filed for divorce in '91, he told me, in an actual GROWL, that he would do everything possible to make my life a living hell, for the rest of my life. (which he insinuated may not be very long). With his Father being the Co-Founder of Florida Dept of Law Enforcement and a VERY close friend of local Judges, to his Brother being Chief Sherrif's Deputy, 2 Sisters with high positions in the field I'd been in all my life--let me tell you, he managed to do everything EXCEPT kill me. Not that he didn't try though. I actually worked in medicine and it was while working in an acute Psych Unit I realized what danger I was in. I attended almost 3yrs of medical school-before he managed to have me "dismissed". As much as they knew what I was going through, and had seen his insanity close-up, it was disrupting to my 19 classmates, and the employees of the school. Because his family just couldn't take anymore either-instead of getting him the help he so desperately needed, (which they say could have "damaged" THEIR "social standing and be an embarrassment to his Father), they instead helped him to take our children overseas, where there was no worry about that pesky child custody agreement.
    Psychotics, sociopathics

  93. Chris Dillon

    Hey man, I feel for you. Even though I am not divorced but I could easily see my wife becoming a psychopath.

    I know, I know, it's my fault!

  94. Yes it's genetic. Not environmental.

    Case closed.

  95. Oh and, by the way, Vlatko, thank you, thank you SO much for this wonderful site--the best documentary site I've ever seen. Your generosity is appreciated by so many. It's so obvious that this is a labor of love for you, the hours and hours of works how. Your love of the genre is evident and you have wonderful choices here.

  96. I am so damn tired of these absurd, juvenile "Dick Cheney" remarks. The man may not have shared your passivistic views, but he loves his country, his wife, his family. There is no evidence *anywhere* he's sociopathic. If this was a pedophile site, some moron would have posted, "yeah, like Dick Cheney." Idiot. Here's a newsflash for you: this country is in a shambles, and you can't blame a certain white-haired man anymore. Get over it.

  97. This doc spends a tremendous amount of time trying to inspire fear into the watcher but I feel it's very shallow in exploring what is a psychopath, how they come about, and why they seemingly cant be treated. lending itself almost entirely to one view point that these beings are the ultimate scourge, are born crazy, and must be destroyed (or their personalities manipulated through computer chips).
    I don't think the corporate sociopaths at the top who effectively kill millions with their decisions are going to be chipped and who's the real menace to humanity.

  98. I just watched this film after coming to the conclusion that I was married to a psychopath for 14 years. I have spent the last year and half in court for divorce, custody, and 4 protection order arrests all fabricated by her.

    If you can imagine having every right you think you have stripped from you along with the ability to be with your children for no apparent reason or factual evidence, then you can start to understand what the people in this film are talking about.

    My x-wife is a highly regarded successful professor of political sociology. Capable of manipulating all kinds of people like they are puppets on a string. Including the New York City judicial systems, schools, senior ranking congressional representatives, ivy league professors…and you! (I have two years of recordings and other evidence documenting all of it.)

    I have a technical MBA Masters from a top engineering school but my undergrad is in physics and chemistry hard science. I can tell you most everything in this film is spot on. Any point that is overstated is followed with a critique indicating a lack of certainty. On my own I came to many of the same conclusions in this film,(even her motivations being controlled by the fear driven limbic system). But I thought it was a result of complex post traumatic stress from being a child of two alcoholic parents.

    What is so amazing is how easily the entire society and smart individuals overtly rejected me with rational proof, to follow the words of a psychopath.

    I hope this helps raise the level of comments here.

    1. Political Ponerology, google it

  99. Onur:

    I don't give a flying f--k how many PHD's you have, nor does anybody else! Because you only follow what you have been taught, does not mean other people cannot have their viewpoints, whether right or wrong! I think we still have free speech, at least until we all get chipped!

  100. Everybody here who have commented this video doesn't know what the hell they are talking about, please don't come and say that the theories are all bullshit, or that it is impossible to be born without a capacity to develop a conscience because it is quite plausible. Anyway, I have a PhD in psychology, and specifically psychopathy, so I know what i am talking about. I hate it when people who didn't study for the subject think they know it all, and even dare to call science, bullshit. You are all really dumb and living in the middle ages if you still can't understand the way science is conducted, otherwise it wouldn't be called science.

  101. Snodgrass is spot on, the theories laid out in this documentary are total crap! Follow this path and we will all soon be tagged as undesireable in one way or another.

  102. Born as psychopaths? Nothing to do with how they were raised? Were they shallow, charming and parasitic when they were breast fed as infants? LOL. Ridiculous!

  103. if you are convinced by the nonsense in this video go and look up neuroplasticity, the implication of studies with fmri are also widely disputed- all the brain region stuff is shown to be malleable, peoples brains whilst having commonality are very different in their fuctioning and so are the regions of the brain used for different tasks from person to person - i would very much like to see the suppositions that would be reached if the therapists were to be screened with fmri scans to see if the overbearing, authoritarian assumptions they reach has a biological cause.
    i thought eugenics was wiped out and am startled to see that it isn't -it's alive and well and psychology seems to be a stronghold, the implications of this "science" are very dangerous indeed. they just throw out the nature/nurture debate without evidence and through vague correlation to 'prove' their pre existing eugenically conceived concepts.

    "we will replace 'dysfunctional' brain mechanisms with microchips" what the...!?!?!?!!! no you wont, i'll quite happily be labelled as psychotic for violently opposing such an idea!
    ultimate mind control!
    ill be thankful for some violent psychopaths when the powers that be try that one!!!!
    The moral authority of these guys is terrifying to say the least it absolves them as 'normal' people, my definition of psychopath would include anyone who thinks mind control chips are an acceptable course of action!
    microchip control for difficult people who dont fit into a society that worships money and rewards the 'industrial psychopaths' with untold riches.
    i wonder if we are all a little bit psychotic and these therapists are the abnormal ones in trying to standardise emotional response to life events- prescribing that any given situation has a 'proper' emotionally standard response?
    the guy who describes the psychopaths abnormality as reading someone else's faces and tailoring what they say in response- like this is some sort of weird anomaly.
    pathologically frightened control freaks are what the therapists come across as by their own diagnostic criteria, desperately seeking to reign in the personalities they cannot understand. i've watched some scary documentaries by alex jones et al about social control but this one is far more frightening in its implications. eugenics is alive and well, cull the abnormal, praise be to the sheepthinkers.

  104. its not a medical diagnosis, its entirely political. after watching this i am more scared of the system that labels these individuals than the "psychopaths" it describes, psychopath is just another word for "evildoer" using vague and open ended pseudo-scientific diagnostics on someone's personality and scoring their behaviour on a 1 to evil scale is nonsense. it seems more like a desperate attempt to distance the "normal" people from the "psychos" using no more than this definition. dangerous and potentially fascistic.

    1. If you ever had a real life run with a psychopath you wouldn't be saying that.

    2. My thoughts exactly Avaritia!

  105. its strange that the psychopaths are said to have no empathy but the very same wilful lack of empathy is employed in separating the psychopath from the therapist?
    grandiose, glib, superficially charming, conning, describes the dr mengele style therapist perfectly!
    "they could be doctors, priests, businessmen etc". they are just bad people, period it seems like a witch hunting manual for the modern age. you could label anyone with this, we are all psychopaths by this ruling.
    industrial psychopath? wtf?
    in a society that rewards these "symptoms" a medical diagnosis of criminality along with a eugenetic twist is a very dangerous social control tool, thought police anyone?

  106. Heh, in the end the psychologist came across as more dangerous than his patient. In fact psychiatry has a very grim track record in that respect.

  107. Good documentary, well balanced, the subject is explored from many points of view.

    ****Stars

    Regards,
    Der Oberst

  108. Bernard Madoff probably fits in this category very well. Perhaps Dick Cheney as well.

    1. Madoff is the precipitate of the greed manifest in capitol-driven cultures. We should all be aware of his ilk. Those who handed him money and never asked questions about how it would be invested were passive partners in crime. His ruthlessness was the result of a lack of vigilance on the part of those who trusted carelessly.