| Abstract: | Reviews the book, Handbook of psychopathy edited by Christopher J. Patrick (2007). This book aims to address these new developments. The book includes 31 chapters from leading researchers in the field. Chapters are organised into six sections, although the final one consists solely of a summary commentary by Patrick. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive review of the divergent research areas that have surfaced in the decades following the advent of the PCL-R and, as such, it promises to be an important reference for years to come. Some chapters are well suited for graduate courses in psychology (e.g., those reviewing theoretical perspectives and applied topics), criminology (e.g., Farrington's chapter), psychiatry (e.g., Minzenberg and Siever's chapter), and neuroscience (i.e., those reviewing neurobiological findings), and some will undoubtedly serve as important starting points for future research (e.g., chapters on etiological mechanisms), both in terms of delineating potentially fruitful lines of enquiry and important methodological limitations to overcome. However, this text is primarily of academic interest, with chapters mainly authored by researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
