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Managing the Great Pretender

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Risks of Harm from Psychopathic Individuals

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Psychology ((BRIEFSPSYCHOL))

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Abstract

Both noncriminal and criminal psychopaths will mask or avoid acknowledging their problem behavior, and they lack insight into the nature and extent of their disturbance. Research supports that general guidelines for managing a psychopath include: (1) identify and know with what you are dealing (e.g., rely on evidence-based knowledge); (2) guard against ingratiation, manipulations, and seductive appeals, etc. (i.e., the primary tools of psychopathy); (3) take a broad view (i.e., keep your eyes wide open for subtle cues); (4) stay “on guard” for protection against a “sneak attack”; and (5) cultivate self-understanding and high self-esteem. A scintilla of evidence of threat, falsity, or violence should be the basis for immediately terminating contacts with and avoiding the particular person in the future.

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Correspondence to Robert Henley Woody .

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Woody, R.H. (2019). Managing the Great Pretender. In: Risks of Harm from Psychopathic Individuals. SpringerBriefs in Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20998-8_11

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