Corporations and Psychopathology
Dr. Robert D. Hare (Ramsland, n.d.) has been a consultant for the FBI on psychopaths for over 30 years. He has developed and tested the "Hare Psychopathology Checklist" that has been well validated through the clinical research in psychology. Through his research, Dr. Hare makes the connection of psychopathology (Achbar & Simpson, 2003b) to many corporations' behaviors. He discovered that some organizations are known to exhibit the six key areas identified by the World Health Organization on their "Personality Diagnostic Checklist" in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), which include:
- Callous unconcern for the feelings of others
- Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships
- Reckless disregard for the safety of others
- Deceitfulness: Repeated lying and conning others for profit
- Incapacity to experience guilt
- Failure to conform to social norms with respect for lawful behaviors
For this Discussion, review this week's resources and consider the connection between corporations and psychopathology. Also, examine how psychopathology might impact a corporation's social responsibility.
Post a response to the following:
Build an argument as to whether or not most large American corporations are psychopathological and exploitive, with little regard for social responsibility. In your argument, explain what you think are the root causes of this (for either position). If you believe corporations do exhibit psychopathological characteristics, explain what might alleviate these. If you believe corporations are not psychopathological and exploitive, explain what is keeping them from not being so.
Note: Provide two academic resources in APA style and citation format to support your topic.