ground-breaking research shows that there could be increased numbers of psychopaths in senior managerial positions and high levels of business
This is a very interesting study (which has been published in a scientific journal), and validates something I have felt for a long, long time: that it's indeed very possible for individuals to mask certain traits and personality deficits if they understand themselves enough and know what to show and not show.
Here are the important excerpts from the article:
The measures were taken by first assessing IQ of the participants, then assessing psychopathy in the participants via another test. Then, measuring galvanic skin response to images depicting emotional scenes.
Finally, it's added at the potential implications this can have throughout the world:
This is an interesting point to consider. However, one that I think might be too far to extend at this point and time. I mean, they used a 50 person sample size of
students for the study. I think they're just using the headline of "CEO hate" which is extremely popular in the post 2008 economy crash world to garner attention (which is pretty dishonest and distasteful IMO). Still, the study seems to be statistically sound, this is the first major study of such a correlation, and it's going to have to be repeated and changed in some manners to validate it further. The title likely also come from the fact that it feels rather confirming to what a lot of people (such as myself) suspect. Everyone seems to know "that one person" who
really does not belong in business, politics, etc. for the very reasons that they are unethical, or show signs of psychopathy in this regard.
It's also interesting to consider if other types of personality disorders, mental disorders, or related neurosis that can be hidden or masked (they or may not be dependent upon intelligence). This is actually rather important if this ends up being true, because it will show a very strong need to modify how disorders are screened. Ultimately, I feel the study is most important for the questions that it begs.
Discuss.