The Mask Of Sanity An Attempt To Clarify Some Issues About the SoCalled Psychopathic Personality 3rd Edition edition by Dr Hervey Cleckley Health Fitness Dieting eBooks
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Originally published in 1941 under the title Mask of Sanity An Attempt to Clarify Some Issues About the So-Called Psychopathic Personality, this influential book became a landmark in psychiatric case studies and was repeatedly revised, expanded and reprinted in subsequent editions—here we present the 3rd edition published in 1955.
The Mask of Sanity is distinguished by its central thesis that the psychopath exhibits normal function according to standard psychiatric criteria, yet privately engages in destructive behavior. The book was intended to assist with detection and diagnosis of the elusive psychopath for purposes of palliation and offered no cure for the condition itself. The idea of a master deceiver secretly possessed of no moral or ethical restraints, yet behaving in public with excellent function, electrified American society and led to heightened interest in both psychological introspection and the detection of hidden psychopaths in society at large, leading to a refinement of the word itself into what was perceived to be a less stigmatizing term, “sociopath”.
The Mask Of Sanity An Attempt To Clarify Some Issues About the SoCalled Psychopathic Personality 3rd Edition edition by Dr Hervey Cleckley Health Fitness Dieting eBooks
Considered a revolutionary study of psychopathy upon its initial publication in 1941, Hervey Cleckley's The Mask of Sanity: An Attempt to Clarify Some Issues about the So-Called Psychopathic Personality offers useful insight into the affliction almost eighty years later. Faced with a poor understanding of psychopathy throughout society as well as the legal and psychiatric community, Dr. Cleckley hoped to identify the common symptoms of psychopaths and improve their treatment options. Working in a psychiatric hospital, he routinely saw individuals who were arrested for committing some petty crime, feigned insanity or bluffed at suicide to escape legal consequences for psychiatric institutions, then convincingly demonstrated apparently sound minds and above-average intelligence in order to effect their discharge from the hospital, only to commit further crimes and repeat the entire process all over again. Cleckley aspired to break this cycle by categorizing the characteristic traits of the psychopathic personality so that such individuals could be recognized by judges and psychiatrists alike, while simultaneously advocating for a reform of the medicolegal system that would enforce treatment at the discretion of a psychopath's physician. Given that questions of legal insanity are prevalent in modern criminal trials, these concerns remain relevant today.The most useful part of Cleckley's book is the 200 pages devoted to case studies of psychopathic patients observed under his care. These portraits form a cohesive profile of the psychopath as an otherwise intelligent individual with a startling inability to pursue long-term goals or act with consequences in mind. They lie on a whim, steal paltry sums of money, drink to excess, pursue frequent sexual encounters without affection and generally have no comprehension that their actions are harmful or troubling to those around them. Cleckley refreshingly refrains from sensationalism in these pages. Despite popular culture's depiction of the conscience-less serial killer, the psychopaths Cleckley encounters may threaten violence, but rarely (if ever) carry out regular acts of serious brutality. The cases described in these pages may have no moral compass, but they also lack the foresight required to pursue any far-reaching act of grave consequence.
At times however, Cleckley's work offers unfortunate reminders of the era in which it was written. Much of his psychological analysis is couched in Freudian interpretations, like the Oedipus complex. A chapter on "Sexual Deviation" is filled with outdated and offensive depictions of homosexuality. And of course, there has been significant progress in psychology in general and the study of psychopathy in particular since The Mask's publication. Yet as a whole, the book offers a thorough depiction of the psychopathic personality that is likely to stand the test of time. For readers like me looking for a basic introduction to the subject, Cleckley's book serves its purpose as a clarification of psychopathic behavior.
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The Mask Of Sanity An Attempt To Clarify Some Issues About the SoCalled Psychopathic Personality 3rd Edition edition by Dr Hervey Cleckley Health Fitness Dieting eBooks Reviews
Why there is no mention about the fact that this is reprint version of 1955 edition? Somebody wrote about it five years ago, 2011.
The Mask of Sanity An Attempt to Clarify Some Issues About the So-Called Psychopathic Personality, by Hervey Cleckley is a fabulous book. The information is geniune and one can expect detailed descriptions of patients and cases. The book DOES clarify quite a lot about psychopathy. What it is, who has it, and how can we begin to treat it? The gem in this book are the case studies Cleckley publishes, he recalls specifics and is very descriptive. He also remains unbiased while adding his own sort of "twist". At some points it feels like you are really experiencing the patients' antics through the authors eyes. I highly reccomend this book to anyone even interested in psychology.
I first became interested in this topic about eleven years ago after seeing an MSNBC investigates special about serial killers. The particular case which captured my attention was the Southern California perpetrator dubbed in the early eighties as 'The Original Night Stalker', whose connection through DNA matching to the 'East Area Rapist', earned him the moniker EARONS. As EARONS is still at large, and the case so very tantalizing, I began to read any books, articles or papers which might shed light on the mindset of this and other characters of this type.
Hervey Cleckley's book goes a long way to illuminating the nature of 'psychopathy' or 'anti social personality disorder(APD)' The term psychopath is used for ease of communicating the many shades and degrees of this complex personality disorder. He presents extreme case examples of people who are disabled by this syndrome as well as cases where the individuals are functioning, even successful members of society. He also illustrates other personality disorders, i.e. schizophrenia, psychoneuroses and their symptoms and other clinical features in juxtaposition as to 'why' these disorders and the people who suffer from them are not necessarily psychopaths, but that many disorders share overlapping features with psychopathy.
It is very readable. Dr. Cleckley's elegant narrative has a 'southern' rhythm and tone mingled with erudition and the warmth of his humanity as he discusses each case the facets thereof and the patients affected. His message is never obscured by overly esoteric jargon, nor does he lose the reader in overly technical detail. His aim is sincere in understanding this complex issue as well as to communicate to professionals and other interested readers. Also, since this goes back to the forties and early fifties, some of the language regarding sexuality, morality and gender roles is indicative of the cultural attitudes of those times; a kind of sounding board as to how we as an American culture have evolved in our attitudes and awareness of sexuality, mental illness, gender roles etc. To leave off there is also great humor on the part of Dr. Cleckley as, for example, he attempts in chapter twelve to illustrate the libidonistic mindset of a group of teenage boys relevant to the chapter's presented case history.
Considered a revolutionary study of psychopathy upon its initial publication in 1941, Hervey Cleckley's The Mask of Sanity An Attempt to Clarify Some Issues about the So-Called Psychopathic Personality offers useful insight into the affliction almost eighty years later. Faced with a poor understanding of psychopathy throughout society as well as the legal and psychiatric community, Dr. Cleckley hoped to identify the common symptoms of psychopaths and improve their treatment options. Working in a psychiatric hospital, he routinely saw individuals who were arrested for committing some petty crime, feigned insanity or bluffed at suicide to escape legal consequences for psychiatric institutions, then convincingly demonstrated apparently sound minds and above-average intelligence in order to effect their discharge from the hospital, only to commit further crimes and repeat the entire process all over again. Cleckley aspired to break this cycle by categorizing the characteristic traits of the psychopathic personality so that such individuals could be recognized by judges and psychiatrists alike, while simultaneously advocating for a reform of the medicolegal system that would enforce treatment at the discretion of a psychopath's physician. Given that questions of legal insanity are prevalent in modern criminal trials, these concerns remain relevant today.
The most useful part of Cleckley's book is the 200 pages devoted to case studies of psychopathic patients observed under his care. These portraits form a cohesive profile of the psychopath as an otherwise intelligent individual with a startling inability to pursue long-term goals or act with consequences in mind. They lie on a whim, steal paltry sums of money, drink to excess, pursue frequent sexual encounters without affection and generally have no comprehension that their actions are harmful or troubling to those around them. Cleckley refreshingly refrains from sensationalism in these pages. Despite popular culture's depiction of the conscience-less serial killer, the psychopaths Cleckley encounters may threaten violence, but rarely (if ever) carry out regular acts of serious brutality. The cases described in these pages may have no moral compass, but they also lack the foresight required to pursue any far-reaching act of grave consequence.
At times however, Cleckley's work offers unfortunate reminders of the era in which it was written. Much of his psychological analysis is couched in Freudian interpretations, like the Oedipus complex. A chapter on "Sexual Deviation" is filled with outdated and offensive depictions of homosexuality. And of course, there has been significant progress in psychology in general and the study of psychopathy in particular since The Mask's publication. Yet as a whole, the book offers a thorough depiction of the psychopathic personality that is likely to stand the test of time. For readers like me looking for a basic introduction to the subject, Cleckley's book serves its purpose as a clarification of psychopathic behavior.
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