FPSY 4080U – Psychopathic Behaviour

While the psychopathic personality has long been recognized as a difficult and disruptive disorder, the modern-day definition of the disorder is often misunderstood. Indeed, contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of serial killers, psychotic personalities and sexual offenders do not meet the formal definition of psychopathy. Nonetheless, some estimates suggest that psychopaths may be responsible for as much as 60 per cent of societal crime. In this course, we will delve deeply into the concept of psychopathy, differentiating it from other antisocial disorders, gaining familiarity with the official diagnostic criteria, and exploring the major theories of the disorder. As the course progresses, we will incorporate research from personality, cognitive, emotional and neuroscientific domains to gain a well-rounded and sophisticated understanding of the disorder. Additional topics will include the female psychopath, the “fledgling” psychopath and the corporate psychopath. The course may emphasize oral presentations, class participation and other weekly in-class assessments.
Credit hours: 3.0
Lecture hours: 3.0
Prerequisite(s): Fourth-year standing in Forensic Psychology
Experiential learning: Yes