Stout, Martha (2005) The sociopath next door, New York: Doubleday

(Reviewed by Prof. Joel C. Snell, Kirkwood College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Harvard clinical psychologist, Dr. Martha Stout tackles the question of who is a psychopath and how do they become one? Her brilliant book is for academic, professional, and general audience. She writes at many levels. In common parlance, she describes complex phenomena and illustrates it with mythical characters, how sociopaths can easily live next door. Using this device, she not only informs but entertains the reader to want more. She uses interchangeably sociopath, psychopath, and antisocial personality. She differentiates this group from those with attachment disorders, narcistic personalities, and criminal repeat offenders.

Sociopaths are charming, cold, loveless, and egocentric. They learn to mimic but not internalize empathy, sympathy, remorse, interconnectedness, and spirituality. They lie, cheat, and if they have to, will kill. If they can stand the authority, they make excellent warriors and persons in high authority such as sports stars, CEO’s, movie stars, “personalities” professionals and related.

They are continually under stimulated so they are constantly in search of drugs, impersonal sex, thrill rides, high risk ventures, volatile venues / environments, and short term gains. They are charming enough to get through school and to make it big. At the loss of loved ones, they look around at others to see what they do so the can fake grief.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, sociopaths account for 4% of the population or 1 in 25 Americans.

They are manipulative and look at others for possible immediate gain. Other’s suffering is rewarding behavior to them. In common terms, they are evil.

Sociopath logy is from 35% to 50% genetic. Using the twin’s studies, they find that sociopaths come generally not from crimnogenic or dysfunctional backgrounds. The genetic portion or “bad seed” is so strong that immediate family and neighbor variables appear to not be salient. Inadvertently, the family may enable the young psychopath by finally giving up or looking the other way, when the child inflicts suffering on others. They enjoy torturing animals.

Stout suggests that culture may play a strong role. Societies that have a tight integrated family and a religion that connects humans to their larger environment like in East Asia have about 10% of the antisocial personalities as in western societies. If the culture has an over emphasis on hyper individuality and success at any costs, sociopath logy prospers.

Stout discusses numerous types of sociopaths and strategies to avoid them to save one’s self from harm. Most psychopaths are not serial killers. However, they can do so much damage to others without remorse.

By now you may more clearly recognize an individual like this in your life. They are charming. They want your pity. They fail you repeatedly and they lie and lie.

Living well without them is one’s best revenge. You may want to forgive them, but don’t let them back in your life.

The book is a valuable contribution to the fields of the social sciences.

Stout, Martha (2005) The sociopath next door, New York: Doubleday

(Reviewed by Prof. Joel C. Snell, Kirkwood College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Harvard clinical psychologist, Dr. Martha Stout tackles the question of who is a psychopath and how do they become one? Her brilliant book is for academic, professional, and general audience. She writes at many levels. In common parlance, she describes complex phenomena and illustrates it with mythical characters, how sociopaths can easily live next door. Using this device, she not only informs but entertains the reader to want more. She uses interchangeably sociopath, psychopath, and antisocial personality. She differentiates this group from those with attachment disorders, narcistic personalities, and criminal repeat offenders.

Sociopaths are charming, cold, loveless, and egocentric. They learn to mimic but not internalize empathy, sympathy, remorse, interconnectedness, and spirituality. They lie, cheat, and if they have to, will kill. If they can stand the authority, they make excellent warriors and persons in high authority such as sports stars, CEO’s, movie stars, “personalities” professionals and related.

They are continually under stimulated so they are constantly in search of drugs, impersonal sex, thrill rides, high risk ventures, volatile venues / environments, and short term gains. They are charming enough to get through school and to make it big. At the loss of loved ones, they look around at others to see what they do so the can fake grief.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, sociopaths account for 4% of the population or 1 in 25 Americans.

They are manipulative and look at others for possible immediate gain. Other’s suffering is rewarding behavior to them. In common terms, they are evil.

Sociopath logy is from 35% to 50% genetic. Using the twin’s studies, they find that sociopaths come generally not from crimnogenic or dysfunctional backgrounds. The genetic portion or “bad seed” is so strong that immediate family and neighbor variables appear to not be salient. Inadvertently, the family may enable the young psychopath by finally giving up or looking the other way, when the child inflicts suffering on others. They enjoy torturing animals.

Stout suggests that culture may play a strong role. Societies that have a tight integrated family and a religion that connects humans to their larger environment like in East Asia have about 10% of the antisocial personalities as in western societies. If the culture has an over emphasis on hyper individuality and success at any costs, sociopath logy prospers.

Stout discusses numerous types of sociopaths and strategies to avoid them to save one’s self from harm. Most psychopaths are not serial killers. However, they can do so much damage to others without remorse.

By now you may more clearly recognize an individual like this in your life. They are charming. They want your pity. They fail you repeatedly and they lie and lie.

Living well without them is one’s best revenge. You may want to forgive them, but don’t let them back in your life.

The book is a valuable contribution to the fields of the social sciences.