ISSN: 2710-4028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54208/0008 107
Summary
Over the course of his life, Charles Manson’s
characteristics and behaviors overwhelmingly meet the
criteria for Robert D. Hare’s construct of psychopathy.
Affectively, he demonstrated glibness or superficial
charm a grandiose sense of self-worth pathological
lying conning and manipulation lacked remorse or
guilt shallow affect callousness and lack of empathy
and failed to accept responsibility for his actions.
Manson also exhibited social deviance, with his need
for stimulation and proneness to boredom parasitic
lifestyle poor behavioral controls lack of realistic,
long-term goals impulsivity irresponsibility juvenile
delinquency and revocation of conditional release.
Furthermore, Manson’s promiscuous sexual behavior,
many short-term marital relationships, and criminal
versatility are also indicative of psychopathy.
The psychopathic personality features and deviant
opinions and experiences that enabled Manson to lead
his Family members to commit grisly murders at his
command similarly propelled him to counterculture
hero status, which endures today. At the time of the
Tate-LaBianca trial, Bugliosi said, “That an accused
mass murderer could emerge as a counterculture hero
seemed inconceivable. But to some Charles Manson
had become a cause” (Bugliosi with Gentry 1974:221).
Manson’s notoriety, however, did not fade with time.
According to Marynick, “The bizarre nature of his
crimes continued to draw extensive media coverage
throughout the 1980s and early 1990s and there still
exists a barrage of books, movies, music, T-shirts, and
other merchandise. His case has been cited as one of
the most infamous in American history” (Marynick
2010:373). In 1993, “Look at Your Game, Girl,” a song
written by Manson and performed by Guns ‘N’ Roses
was included on their album, The Spaghetti Incident?,
thus inspiring a new generation of Manson devotees
(San Francisco Examiner 1993:A15). “To some of
his new fans, he’s great for shock value. To others,
he’s a counterculture hero” (San Francisco Examiner
1993:A15). Manson’s macabre behavior continues to
shock people half a century after his crimes, and Hare’s
construct of psychopathy delineates how he was able to
cause destruction over his lifetime.
References
American Psychiatric Association. 2022. Diagnostic
and statistical manual of mental disorders,
fifth edition, text revision. Washington, DC:
American Psychiatric Association.
Blackburn, Ronald. 2006. “Other theoretical models of
psychopathy.” Pp. 35-57 in Handbook of
Psychopathy, edited by Christopher J. Patrick.
New York, New York: The Guilford Press.
Bugliosi, Vincent T., with Curt Gentry. 1974. Helter
Skelter. The true story of the Manson Murders.
New York, New York: W.W. Norton &Company,
Inc.
Cleckley, Hervey. (1955). The mask of sanity, 3rd
edition. St. Louis, Missouri: The C.V. Mosby
Company.
Cooke, David J., Christine Michie, and Stephen D.
Hart. 2006. “Facets of clinical psychopathy:
Toward clearer measurement.” Pp. 91-106 in
Handbook of Psychopathy, edited by
Christopher J. Patrick. New York, New York:
The Guilford Press.
Daily Breeze. 1977. “Linda tells how Manson
programmed followers.” April 27:A5.
Fowles, Don C. and Lilian Dindo. 2006. “A dual-deficit
model of psychopathy.” Pp. 14-34 in Handbook
of Psychopathy, edited by Christopher J. Patrick.
New York, New York: The Guilford Press.
Gilmore, John and Ron Kenner. 1971. The garbage
people. Los Angeles, California: Omega Press.
Hare, Robert D. 1970. Psychopathy: Theory and
Research. New York, New York: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Hare, Robert D. 1980. “A research scale for the
assessment of psychopathy in criminal
populations.” Personality and Individual
Differences, 1: 111-119.
Summary
Over the course of his life, Charles Manson’s
characteristics and behaviors overwhelmingly meet the
criteria for Robert D. Hare’s construct of psychopathy.
Affectively, he demonstrated glibness or superficial
charm a grandiose sense of self-worth pathological
lying conning and manipulation lacked remorse or
guilt shallow affect callousness and lack of empathy
and failed to accept responsibility for his actions.
Manson also exhibited social deviance, with his need
for stimulation and proneness to boredom parasitic
lifestyle poor behavioral controls lack of realistic,
long-term goals impulsivity irresponsibility juvenile
delinquency and revocation of conditional release.
Furthermore, Manson’s promiscuous sexual behavior,
many short-term marital relationships, and criminal
versatility are also indicative of psychopathy.
The psychopathic personality features and deviant
opinions and experiences that enabled Manson to lead
his Family members to commit grisly murders at his
command similarly propelled him to counterculture
hero status, which endures today. At the time of the
Tate-LaBianca trial, Bugliosi said, “That an accused
mass murderer could emerge as a counterculture hero
seemed inconceivable. But to some Charles Manson
had become a cause” (Bugliosi with Gentry 1974:221).
Manson’s notoriety, however, did not fade with time.
According to Marynick, “The bizarre nature of his
crimes continued to draw extensive media coverage
throughout the 1980s and early 1990s and there still
exists a barrage of books, movies, music, T-shirts, and
other merchandise. His case has been cited as one of
the most infamous in American history” (Marynick
2010:373). In 1993, “Look at Your Game, Girl,” a song
written by Manson and performed by Guns ‘N’ Roses
was included on their album, The Spaghetti Incident?,
thus inspiring a new generation of Manson devotees
(San Francisco Examiner 1993:A15). “To some of
his new fans, he’s great for shock value. To others,
he’s a counterculture hero” (San Francisco Examiner
1993:A15). Manson’s macabre behavior continues to
shock people half a century after his crimes, and Hare’s
construct of psychopathy delineates how he was able to
cause destruction over his lifetime.
References
American Psychiatric Association. 2022. Diagnostic
and statistical manual of mental disorders,
fifth edition, text revision. Washington, DC:
American Psychiatric Association.
Blackburn, Ronald. 2006. “Other theoretical models of
psychopathy.” Pp. 35-57 in Handbook of
Psychopathy, edited by Christopher J. Patrick.
New York, New York: The Guilford Press.
Bugliosi, Vincent T., with Curt Gentry. 1974. Helter
Skelter. The true story of the Manson Murders.
New York, New York: W.W. Norton &Company,
Inc.
Cleckley, Hervey. (1955). The mask of sanity, 3rd
edition. St. Louis, Missouri: The C.V. Mosby
Company.
Cooke, David J., Christine Michie, and Stephen D.
Hart. 2006. “Facets of clinical psychopathy:
Toward clearer measurement.” Pp. 91-106 in
Handbook of Psychopathy, edited by
Christopher J. Patrick. New York, New York:
The Guilford Press.
Daily Breeze. 1977. “Linda tells how Manson
programmed followers.” April 27:A5.
Fowles, Don C. and Lilian Dindo. 2006. “A dual-deficit
model of psychopathy.” Pp. 14-34 in Handbook
of Psychopathy, edited by Christopher J. Patrick.
New York, New York: The Guilford Press.
Gilmore, John and Ron Kenner. 1971. The garbage
people. Los Angeles, California: Omega Press.
Hare, Robert D. 1970. Psychopathy: Theory and
Research. New York, New York: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Hare, Robert D. 1980. “A research scale for the
assessment of psychopathy in criminal
populations.” Personality and Individual
Differences, 1: 111-119.
