Do psychopaths exist in the workplace?

They’re usually seen as serial killers, rapists or sadists in Hollywood movies. They appear in the media and literature, but they’re never really expected to enter our real life. Although we’re not always aware of, they are actually closer than we think.

Research estimates that approximately only one percent of the general population are psychopaths. They are however, over represented in business, politics, law enforcement agencies, law firms, and the media according to research done by Dr. Robert Hare at the University of British Columbia, and his colleague Dr. Paul Babiak.

What is psychopathy? In psychiatry and clinical psychology, it is currently defined as a condition characterized by lack of empathy or conscience, poor impulse control or manipulative behaviours.