Most people are both repelled and intrigued by the images of cold-blooded, conscienceless murderers that increasingly populate our movies, television programs, and newspaper headlines. With their flagrant criminal violation of society's rules, serial killers like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy are among the most dramatic examples of the psychopath. Individuals with this personality disorder are fully aware of the consequences of their actions and know the difference between right and wrong, yet they are terrifyingly self-centered, remorseless, and unable to care about the feelings of others. Perhaps most frightening, they often seem completely normal to unsuspecting targets - and they do not always ply their trade by killing. Presenting a compelling portrait of these dangerous men and women based on 25 years of distinguished scientific research, Dr Robert D. Hare vividly describes a world of con artists, hustlers, rapists, and other predators who charm, lie, and manipulate their way through life. Are psychopaths mad, or simply bad? How can they be recognized? And how can we protect ourselves? This book provides solid information and surprising insights for anyone seeking to understand this devastating condition.

羅伯特·D.黑爾（Robert D.Hare）博士是心理變態領域世界公認的頂尖專傢之一，不列顛哥倫比亞大學的心理學教授。他編製瞭“心理變態核查錶”，它隨即作為一種標準工具，迅速被世界各地的研究者和治療師廣泛采用。他已經齣版瞭有關心理變態的兩部著作、眾多學術論文。他的學術論文對整個世界産生瞭巨大的影響。