According to pioneering psychopathy researcher Dr. Robert D. Hare, “Some psychoanalytic theories depict the psychopath as an individual whose antisocial behavior is ego-syntonic—that is, is an integral part of his personality and not accompanied by moral apprehension, anxiety, and guilt—and therefore not personally disturbing.”1 In other words, there appears to be a disturbance in conscience such that there is no evidence of moral emotions (shame, guilt), though there may be understanding of right from wrong.

Fundamental disregard of others’ rights and feelings

At the 6th Biennial Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy (“SSSP”) in 2015, Lucy Foulkes, currently a psychologist at the University of Oxford, shared findings that uncovered atypical social behavior for persons with psychopathic propensities that reflected a fundamental disregard for other people’s rights and feelings. Specifically, she highlighted that “Individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits are more likely to find being cruel enjoyable and not enjoy being kind.”2

In a presentation at the 2026 SSSP conference in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Craig Neumann, Regents Professor from the University of North Texas and an internationally recognized psychopathy researcher, provided findings based on justice-involved adolescents and adults who were assessed for psychopathy and capacity to recognize basic moral foundations reflecting harm and fairness toward others. These data were backed up by neuroimaging carried out with the adolescents while viewing instances of moral........

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