Because an individual's scores may have important consequences for his or her future, the absolute value is of critical importance. The potential for harm is considerable if the PCL-R is used incorrectly, or if the user is not familiar with the clinical and empirical literature pertaining to psychopathy.
In other words, "don't try this at home." But those who want to gain insight on psychopathy should read some outstanding books that go well beyond Ronson's best seller. I have read the following and can highly recommend them:
* Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us, by Robert D. Hare (1999)
* The Sociopath Next Door, by Martha Stout (2006)
* Snakes In Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, by Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare (2007)
At the heart of all of these works is the exploration of a personality disorder. In fact, the technical term for psychopathy is antisocial personality disorder, a term we explored in the following post:
Will Personality Disorders Jeopardize Our Future
How can your life be affected by encounters with those who show signs of having antisocial personality disorder? We have examined that question:
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