According to a 2010 study, the president who scored highest on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory was George W. Bush. The document then provides writing prompts and discussion questions about psychopaths and traits from the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. It discusses how psychopathic traits could potentially be reframed as beneficial and provides class activities on defining psychopaths and discussing the film "Scorpio Rising".

1. According to a study conducted in
2010, which president scored the highest
on the Psychopathic Personality
Inventory?
A. George W. Bush
B. Richard Nixon
C. Bill Clinton
D. Jimmy Carter
E. John F. Kennedy

3. Free write—write without picking up your
pen or pencil until I say stop. Do not
worry about grammar, spelling, or
sounding silly. Start with the prompt and
go where your mind takes you.
Prompt:
 Dutton quotes Winston Churchill at the
beginning of the first chapter: “Great and
Good are seldom the same man.” What do
you think this statement means? How
does it relate to psychopaths?
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4. Link

5.  In groups of four, try to define
psychopath based on “Scorpio
Rising”
 Compare
 Look at Hare Checklist
 Discuss

6.  Narcissism
 Fearlessness
 Emotional
detachment
 Rebelliousness
 Coolness under
pressure

7. Identifying Psychopaths with
the Hare Checklist
Slides adapted from http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Psychopath

8. A psychopath will also put on what professionals refer
to as a "mask" of sanity that is likeable and pleasant.

9. Psychopaths will often believe they are smarter or more
powerful than they actually are.

10. Stillness, quiet and reflection are not things embraced by
psychopaths. They need constant entertainment and activity.

11. A psychopath will tell all sorts of lies; little white lies as well as
huge stories intended to mislead.

12. All psychopaths are identified as cunning and able to get people to do things they
might not normally do. They can use guilt, force and other methods to manipulate.

13. An absence of any guilt or remorse is a sign of
psychopathy.

14. Psychopaths demonstrate shallow emotional reactions to deaths, injuries,
trauma or other events that would otherwise cause a deeper response.

15. Psychopaths are callous and have no way of relating to non-psychopaths.

16. Psychopaths are often parasitic, meaning they live off other people.

17. The Hare Checklist includes three behavior indicators; poor behavior control,
sexual promiscuity and early behavior problems.

18. Psychopaths have unrealistic goals for the long term. Either there are no goals
at all, or they are unattainable and based on the exaggerated sense of one's
own accomplishments and abilities.

19. Both those characteristics are evidence of psychopathy.

20. A psychopath will never admit to being wrong or owning up to mistakes and
errors in judgment.

21. If there have been many short term marriages, the chances the person is a
psychopath increase.

22. Many psychopaths exhibit delinquent behaviors in their youth.

23. Psychopaths are able to get away with a lot, and while they might sometimes
get caught, the ability to be flexible when committing crimes is an indicator.

24. Psychopaths are experts at manipulating our
emotions and insecurities into causing us to view
them as "poor injusticed fellows," thus lowering our
sentimental guard and rendering us vulnerables for
future exploitation. If this psychologic resource is
continually combined with unacceptable and evil
actions, this equals to a powerful alert sign about this
person's real nature.

25. Psychopaths are generally prone to
belittle, humiliate, mistreat, mock and even attack
physically (or kill, in extreme cases) people who
normally would bring no benefits to him/her in
any way, such as subordinates, physically frail or
lower-ranking people, children, elderly people
and even animals - especially the latter ones.
Remember Arthur Schoepenhauer's famous
words: "A person who harms or kills animals
cannot be a good person at all."

26. If we buy Dutton’s argument
(that we can find wisdom from
psychopaths), how can these
traits be reframed as beneficial?

27. A psychopath will also put on what professionals refer
to as a "mask" of sanity that is likeable and pleasant.

28. Psychopaths will often believe they are smarter or more
powerful than they actually are.

29. Stillness, quiet and reflection are not things embraced by
psychopaths. They need constant entertainment and activity.

30. A psychopath will tell all sorts of lies; little white lies as well as
huge stories intended to mislead.

31. All psychopaths are identified as cunning and able to get people to do things they
might not normally do. They can use guilt, force and other methods to manipulate.

32. An absence of any guilt or remorse is a sign of
psychopathy.

33. Psychopaths demonstrate shallow emotional reactions to
deaths, injuries, trauma or other events that would otherwise cause a deeper
response.

34. Psychopaths are callous and have no way of relating to non-psychopaths.

35. Psychopaths are often parasitic, meaning they live off other people.

36. The Hare Checklist includes three behavior indicators; poor behavior control,
sexual promiscuity and early behavior problems.

37. Psychopaths have unrealistic goals for the long term. Either there are no goals
at all, or they are unattainable and based on the exaggerated sense of one's
own accomplishments and abilities.

38. Both those characteristics are evidence of psychopathy.

39. A psychopath will never admit to being wrong or owning up to mistakes and
errors in judgment.

40. If there have been many short term marriages, the chances the person is a
psychopath increase.

41. Many psychopaths exhibit delinquent behaviors in their youth.

42. Psychopaths are able to get away with a lot, and while they might sometimes
get caught, the ability to be flexible when committing crimes is an indicator.

43. Psychopaths are experts at manipulating our
emotions and insecurities into causing us to view
them as "poor injusticed fellows," thus lowering our
sentimental guard and rendering us vulnerables for
future exploitation. If this psychologic resource is
continually combined with unacceptable and evil
actions, this equals to a powerful alert sign about this
person's real nature.

44. Psychopaths are generally prone to belittle,
humiliate, mistreat, mock and even attack
physically (or kill, in extreme cases) people who
normally would bring no benefits to him/her in
any way, such as subordinates, physically frail or
lower-ranking people, children, elderly people
and even animals - especially the latter ones.
Remember Arthur Schoepenhauer's famous
words: "A person who harms or kills animals
cannot be a good person at all."

46. (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident). The tendency to
experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as
anger, anxiety, depression, and vulnerability. Neuroticism
also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse
control and is sometimes referred to by its low
pole, "emotional stability".
Average (39%)
High (33%)

47. (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved).
Energy, positive
emotions, surgency, assertiveness, sociability and
the tendency to seek stimulation in the company
of others, and talkativeness.
Average (33%)
High (28%)
Low (28%)

48. (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious). Appreciation for
art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and
variety of experience. Openness reflects the degree of
intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for
novelty and variety a person has. It is also described as the
extent to which a person is imaginative or
independent, and depicts a personal preference for a
variety of activities over a strict routine. Some
disagreement remains about how to interpret the
openness factor, which is sometimes called "intellect"
rather than openness to experience.
Average (39%)
High (22%)
Low (22%)

49. (friendly/compassionate vs. analytical/detached). A tendency
to be compassionate and cooperative rather than
suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It is also a
measure of one's trusting and helpful nature, and whether
a person is generally well tempered or not.
Average (44%)
Low (28%)

50. (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless). A tendency
to be organized and dependable, show self-discipline,
act dutifully, aim for achievement, and prefer
planned rather than spontaneous behavior.
Average (33%)
Low (33%)

51. The capability of a person or argument to
convince or persuade someone to accept a desired
way of thinking.
Very High (44%)
High (22%)
Only characteristic without a
person ranking “Very Low”

54. A. Free write
B. Defining psychopath
C. Class results of personality quiz
D. Discussion of “Scorpio Rising”
E. Essay #6 Prompt and Rubric

55. A. Free write
B. Defining psychopath
C. Class results of personality quiz
D. Discussion of “Scorpio Rising”
E. Essay #6 Prompt and Rubric

56.  Essay #5 is due Sunday at 11:55 p.m.
to Turnitin
 Read (and be prepared to discuss)
“Will the Real Psychopath Please
Stand Up” and “Carpe Noctem”
 Begin working and researching for
Essay #6
 Weekly discussion (post due
Thursday and responses due Sunday)