Date of Award

8-2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology

Abstract

The impact & harms of white-collar offenses (corporate crime) on society are severe, & cost society many times what violent offenses do. I argue the occurrence of corporate crime is a function of corporate culture and environment (Organizational Strain). According to some analyses, there is an increased prevalence of psychopathic personalities in corporate management positions. To study this, I analyzed data collected from 203 managers & executives at seven corporations with employees numbering 150 to 40,000 - using the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). I then conducted content analysis on independent biographies of four prominent, criminal CEO's to track the emergence of psychopathic personality traits. I posit that corporations not only attract primary psychopaths, but may foster the emergence of psychopathic traits in non-psychopaths as well (i.e. "secondary psychopathy"). My research focuses on the emergence of psychopathic traits in corporate management (secondary psychopathy), & suggests a theoretical basis for this happening.

Download

Included in

Sociology Commons

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .

 

Faculty Mentor

Peggy Petrzelka

Departmental Honors Advisor

Christy Glass