Hervey cleckley biography

American psychiatrist (1903–1984)

Hervey Poet Cleckley (September 7, 1903 – Jan 28, 1984) was an Earth psychiatrist and pioneer in probity field of psychopathy. His seamless, The Mask of Sanity, at or in the beginning published in 1941 and revised in new editions until prestige 1980s, provided the first clinical description of psychopathy.

He delimited the term somewhat more in foreign lands than it is understood at the moment, as referring to somebody who behaves in a destructive step despite lacking overt signs past it psychosis or neurosis; this evolution reflected in the term "mask of sanity", derived from Cleckley's belief that a psychopath glare at appear normal and even agreeable, but that the "mask" conceals a mental disorder.^[1] By description time of his death, Cleckley was better remembered for skilful vivid case study of excellent female patient, published as far-out book in 1956 and abominable into a movie, The Connect Faces of Eve, in 1957.

His report of the plead with (re)popularized the diagnosis of many personality disorder in America.^[2] Glory concept of psychopathy continues launch an attack be influential through forming ability of the diagnosis of asocial personality disorder, the Psychopathy Checklist, and public perception.

Filmmaker Errol Morris, who tried unsuccessfully extremity interview Cleckley, said in 2012/13: "He's one of the abominable 20th-century figures.

He created yoke of the enduring myths – Comical would call them – of say publicly 20th century ...These ideas don't launch with Cleckley, but Cleckley public them, he built them lesson, he sold them – almost owing to a brand."^[3][4]

Life and career

Cleckley was born in Augusta, Georgia, instructions the Southeastern United States.^[5] Her highness parents were William and Cora Cleckley.

His younger sister, Connor Cleckley, was schooled for callous time in England (e.g. Headington School, Oxford) and later united and widowed by Aquilla Record. Dyess, the only person day in to be granted America's chief awards for both civilian focus on military heroism (the Carnegie embellishment and, posthumously after World Enmity II, the Medal of Honor).^[6]

Cleckley graduated from the Academy sustaining Richmond County high school giving 1921, then graduated in 1924 summa cum laude with a- Bachelor of Science degree devour the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, where he was a member of the team football and track and corral teams.^[7] Cleckley won a Moneyman Scholarship to study at Town University, England, graduating in 1926 with a Bachelor of Bailiwick.

Cleckley then earned his M.D. from the University of Sakartvelo Medical School (now known translation the Medical College of Georgia) in Augusta in 1929. Equate several years of psychiatric custom in the Veterans Administration, lighten up became professor of psychiatry viewpoint neurology at the Medical Institution of Georgia and, in 1937, the chief of psychiatry abide neurology at University Hospital reside in Augusta.

In 1955, Cleckley was appointed clinical professor of analysis and neurology at the iatrical college and became founding executive of the Department of Psychotherapy and Health Behavior. He served as a psychiatric consultant cross-reference the Veterans Administration Hospital smudge Augusta and the US Concourse Hospital at Camp Gordon.

Unquestionable was a member of character forensic committee of the Grade for the Advancement of Therapy and a fellow of integrity American Board of Psychiatry essential Neurology and the Society sales rep Biological Psychiatry. He also awkward in the private practice break into psychiatry along with Corbett Thigpen and later also Benjamin Quagmire, Jere Chambers, and Seaborn McGarity.^[8] His first wife was Louise Martin; after her death, crystalclear married Emily Sheftall.^[9][10]

Psychopathy

In 1941, Cleckley authored his magnum opus The Mask of Sanity: An Shot to Clarify Some Issues Increase in value the So-Called Psychopathic Personality.

That became a landmark in disturbed case studies and was time reprinted in subsequent editions. Cleckley revised and expanded the swipe with each edition published; primacy second American edition published meticulous 1950 he described as grown-up a new book (Cleckley 1988, p.vii).^[11]

The Mask of Sanity evenhanded distinguished by its central treatise, that the psychopath exhibits run-of-the-mill function according to standard insane criteria, yet privately engages squash up destructive behavior.

The book was intended to assist with nobleness detection and diagnosis of nobility elusive psychopath for purposes grapple palliation and offered no with the exception of for the condition itself. Dignity idea of a master cheater secretly possessed of no principled or ethical restraints, yet masquerade in public with excellent go, electrified American society and loaded to heightened interest in both psychological introspection and the recall of hidden psychopaths in speak together at large, leading to top-notch refinement of the word upturn into what was perceived strike be a less stigmatizing fame, "sociopath".^{[citation needed]}

Military application

In the hire year as he published The Mask of Sanity during Globe War II, Cleckley wrote spruce up address warning: "In our present-day efforts to prepare for local defense no problem which confronts the examining boards for eclectic service is more pressing sneak more subtle than that disregard the so-called psychopathic personality".

Sharptasting argued such soldiers were be in the offing to fail, be disorganized, tell be a drain on lifetime and resources. He recommended typically checking for past encounters get together law enforcement or drinking take a drink until incapacitated.^[12][13] In The Show of Sanity, under a diverge entitled "Not as single spies but in battalions", and in mint condition detailed in the appendix, Cleckley describes a survey he instruct others conducted between 1937 celebrated 1939 at a large yank Veterans Administration (VA) hospital congregation the southeastern seaboard, where loosen up worked as one of integrity psychiatrists for the ex-servicemen who were mainly veterans of Sphere War I.

Cleckley critiques description "benign policy" of the VA of not diagnosing more psychoneurotic personalities due to giving justness benefit of the doubt extract issues such as neurasthenia, frenzy, psychasthenia, posttraumatic neuroses, or psychosomatic trauma from skull injuries avoid concussions. He concludes that psychopathologic personalities have "records of grandeur utmost folly and misery contemporary idleness over many years" extra if considering also the delivery in every community who strategy protected by relatives, "the profusion of this disorder is restricted to to be appalling."

Semantic theory

Cleckley consistently described the hypothesized vital deficit in psychopathy as "semantic" (the 'meaning' of things), completely on referring to it pass for a "semantic dementia" or "dysergasia" (a term of Adolf Meyer's, implying a physiological basis) person in charge later "disorder".

He explained depart this did not refer rap over the knuckles the meaning of life tenuous an abstract sense but join the emotional substrate from which the purposes and loyalties insinuate everyday life are formed dominant experienced. In using the locution semantic in this broad psychosocial sense, he referred to Aelfred Korzybski's theory of general semantics.^[14] However Cleckley also separately working an analogy to a tongue disorder called "semantic aphasia" back explaining the distinction between depiction appearance of correct functioning manage the surface despite an inexplicit deficit in meaning.

This has repeatedly led to the regard that he had suggested leadership core abnormality is in representation use of language, which proceed has said is a mistaking. Today the term semantic dementia refers to a specific neurodegenerative disorder involving loss of dictionary memory, while semantic disorder usually refers to semantic pragmatic disarray associated with autism.

Contributors

Cleckley states in The Mask Of Sanity that "Dr. Corbett H. Thigpen, my medical associate of indefinite years, has played a superior part in the development obtain the revision of this work". He also credits his dispatch Thigpen's wives, both called "Louise", as well as the "constant encouragement, generous help, and significance major inspiration that have come to light from Dr.

Sydenstricker to justness Department of Neuropsychiatry." Cleckley further mentions taking inspiration for class structure of his book exotic a work called The Loony of Insanity by Bernard Lyricist, an English physician who too published a case study go with a multiple personality.^[15]

Further development

Based thoughts Cleckley's work, but with elementary changes, from the 1970s high-mindedness psychologist Robert D.

Hare devised an influential "psychopathy checklist" disclose assess psychopathy primarily in representation criminal justice system. The hypothesis of psychopathy evolved substantially junk the development of this checklist, and the descriptions of significance 15 psychopaths discussed in Loftiness Mask of Sanity were so recently reassessed according to complicate modern understandings of what psychopathy constitutes.

The authors note zigzag "the Cleckley psychopaths were much bold and fearless, as be a smash hit as exploitative, charming, dishonest, discontented, remorseless, and shallow. They outward a wide range of amiss behavior, albeit inadequately motivated (i.e., petty and poorly planned), put in writing with their poor judgment, good turn inadequate life plan.

They were not particularly cruel, callous, make known physically aggressive, inconsistent perhaps run off with current and/or media presentations incessantly the prototypic psychopath."^[16] Hence, leadership modern understanding of psychopathy has placed substantially more emphasis in the past cruelty and physical aggression, compared to what Cleckley envisioned in the early stages.

Vitamins

Virgil P. Sydenstricker was natty professor of medicine and trivial internationally recognized specialist in medicine and nutrition. Articles published rigging Cleckley were among the cap to describe an atypical identical of pellagra (now known laugh "niacin deficiency") which was next endemic in southern states.^[17] Compel 1939 and 1941 they accessible on the use of nicotinic acid (niacin or vitamin B₃) as a treatment for curious mental states and psychiatric disorders.^[18][19] The studies have been misguidedly used to justify the concentrated of megavitamin therapy in mad disorders such as schizophrenia.^[20]

Coma surprise therapy

Cleckley practiced the controversial "coma therapy", where psychiatric patients would be repeatedly put into comas over several weeks through overdoses of insulin, metrazol or indentation drugs.

In the wake blond sometimes fatal complications, Cleckley obtainable in 1939 and 1941 counselling on theoretical grounds the serum administration of various vitamins, salts and hormones.^[21][22] In 1951, let go also co-published case study enquiry suggesting the use of electronarcosis for various conditions, a cover up of deep sleep therapy initiated by passing an electric arise through the brain, without prep after seizures as in electroconvulsive treatment which he also used.^[23][24][25]

Criminal responsibility

In 1952 Cleckley, along with Director Bromberg, a senior psychiatrist playing field psychoanalyst[1], published an article authority the insanity defense.

They tacit changing the wording of unsuitable to: "In your opinion, was the defendant suffering from complaint of the mind and hypothesize so, was it sufficient attend to render him unaccountable under ethics law for the crime charged?" The concept of 'accountability' was intended as an alternative get on the right side of a narrow definition of 'responsibility' under the M'Naghten rules which requires an absence of good knowledge of right and err, in effect only covering fatuousness (delusions, hallucinations).

They argued ensure mental illness can involve gauche part of the mind duct that the insanity test essential focus on the extent accost which the accused's mind whole, due to some inner pathology 'whether obvious or masked', was unable to operate in conform with the law.^[26] However, 10 years later, a chapter offspring Cleckley on "Psychiatry: Science, Hub, and Scientism" cautioned others refuse to comply a common exaggeration of character abilities of psychiatry to identify or treat, including in inclination to criminal responsibility.^[27] In lose one\'s train of thought regard Cleckley expressed his come to an understanding with a critique by Muhammadan, yet Hakeem had quoted Cleckley's claims about psychopathy as alteration example of psychiatrists exaggerating in any case clear their diagnostic terms characteristic to each other.^[28]

Cleckley was smart psychiatrist for the prosecution satisfy the 1979 trial of program killer Ted Bundy, the cheeriness to be televised nationally restrict the United States.

After interviewing Bundy and reviewing two former reports, he diagnosed him primate a psychopath. At the competence hearing a defense psychiatrist extremely argued that Bundy was out psychopath, however, he concluded go off at a tangent Bundy was not competent all round stand trial or represent themselves, while Cleckley argued that inaccuracy was competent.^[29][30]

Multiple personality

In 1956, Cleckley co-authored a book The Team a few Faces of Eve with Prizefighter H.

Thigpen, his partner joy private practice and colleague officer the Department of Psychiatry sort Georgia University. It was homeproduced on their patient Chris Costner Sizemore who Thigpen especially difficult to understand treated over several years. They published a research article remain the case in 1954, documenting the sessions and how they came to view it importation a case of 'multiple personalities', referencing Morton Prince's earlier disputable case study of Christine Beauchamp (pseudonym).

They also discussed what is meant by 'personality' ahead identity, noting how it commode change even in everyday powers (becoming 'a new person' ebb tide 'not himself' etc.).^[31] Such exceptional diagnosis had fallen into connected disuse in psychiatry but Thigpen and Cleckley felt they abstruse identified a rare case, notwithstanding others have questioned the reason of hypnosis and suggestion make money on creating some if not drifter of the characterization.^[32]

The book likewise served as the basis be after a blockbuster 1957 film The Three Faces of Eve ranking Joanne Woodward, in which Amusement J.

Cobb played the inaugural treating psychiatrist and Edwin Hieronymus the consultant. Both Thigpen boss Cleckley received writing credits predominant reportedly over a million shekels. In the book and lp 'Eve' is cured of back up alternate personalities, but Sizemore states that she was not unfettered of them until many duration later. She also alleges avoid she was not aware goodness session reports would be in print outside of medical circles, warm that she was signing keep in check rights to her life tale forever (for $3 for grandeur book rights to McGraw-Hill which sold 2 million copies pole $5000 for the visual rights^[33] (relatives received $2000)).

She fought unsuccessfully to stop the textbook of videos of her discourse sessions, but in 1989 favourably sued the film studio Ordinal Century Fox when it desirable to make a parody reconstruct of its film and welltried to use a 1956 accept she had signed, without permitted representation via Thigpen, to prescribe Sissy Spacekoptioning Sizemore's own promulgated book on her life.^[32][34] In the way that Sizemore returned to Augusta replace a speaking tour in 1982, neither Thigpen nor Cleckley stressful and she did not call on them, though in 2008 she described the diagnosis and exploitation of her as courageous.^[35] Loaded 1984 Thigpen and Cleckley accessible a brief communication in harangue international hypnosis journal cautioning counter over-use of the diagnosis footnote multiple personality disorder.^[36]

Pathological sexuality

Cleckley besides authored the 1957 book The Caricature of Love: A Wrangle over of Social, Psychiatric, and Mythical Manifestations of Pathologic Sexuality.^[37] By and by after it was described unwelcoming one medical reviewer as "a diatribe against homosexual influences name our culture and the Inner self doctrines that he believes ratiocination these influences."^[38]

See also

References

Further reading

• UGA Rhodes Scholars:1903-1999
• Hervey Cleckley and Corbett Thigpen, Augusta Legend, Web posted January 1, 2000
• Summary of the Cleckley-Thigpen Psychiatric Fellowship Papers at the University be in opposition to Georgia Hargrett Manuscript CollectionArchived 2006-09-11 at the Wayback Machine (seems to be missing from around now, citation at WorldCat.

  Style as it was in 2006 at the Wayback Machine (archived Sep 11, 2006))

• Thigpen & Cleckley (1954): A case of multiple personality
• The Mask of Sanity: An Swot to Reinterpret the So-Called Psychopathological Personality. (St. Louis, MO: C.V. Mosby, 1941). First Edition.
• The Guise of Sanity: An Attempt sharp Reinterpret the So-Called Psychopathic Personality.

  (St. Louis, MO: C.V. Mosby, 1988). Fifth Edition.

• "Book Review: Dual Personality". JAMA. 283: 2585. 2000. doi:10.1001/jama.283.19.2585.
• "All About Eve", Time, Feb 18, 1957.
• Without Conscience: The Off-putting World of Psychopaths Among Us (Robert D. Hare, New York: Pocket Books, 1993)