Big Brains Is There Such A Thing As A Psychopath?
Oct 16, 2025
Rasmus Rosenberg-Larsen, Assistant Professor of Forensic Epistemology and author of Psychopathy Unmasked, challenges how we think about psychopathy. He traces its modern rise, critiques the PCL-R checklist and its courtroom power. He questions claims about biology, danger, and untreatability, and argues many assessments may mislead legal decisions.
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Ted Bundy Trial Cemented Psychopath Image
- The Ted Bundy trial in 1979 helped popularize the label when Harvey Cleckley testified Bundy was a psychopath rather than legally insane.
- Rasmus recounts that Bundy was the first widely televised trial and Cleckley's testimony framed public understanding of psychopathy.
PCLR Turned Psychopathy Into A Forensic Industry
- The Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCLR) standardized research and clinical assessments starting in 1980 and became widely promoted for forensic use.
- Rasmus details how the PCLR's adoption created a cohesive research paradigm and was then pushed into courts as decisive evidence.
Hundreds Of Thousands Labeled Through PCLR
- PCLR use in North American legal systems grew massively: early-2000s estimates were 50,000–80,000 assessments annually, with later studies suggesting up to a tenfold increase.
- Rasmus estimates hundreds of thousands of justice-involved individuals now carry psychopathy labels from these assessments.
