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.

Included in

Sociology Commons

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Faculty Mentor

Peggy Petrzelka

Departmental Honors Advisor

Christy Glass