Psychopaths. They have become the elusive focus of many Netflix documentaries and crime podcast in the last decades. However, it is not always clear what it means when we say someone is a psychopath. What makes someone a psychopath? How can we treat people who fall under this category? And: don’t all of us have some psychopathic tendencies?
During (Un)Making a Murderer we dive into the specifics of psychopathy and anti-social behavior. Together with experts on the topic we will talk about the origins of the term, but also about what can be done about it. Is neuromodulation, the application of electrical currents to the brain, a possible solution in influencing negative behavior? And what about the ethical aspects of treatments like these?
During the night we will dive into these questions with a group of experts:
- Dr. Josanne van Dongen is Associate Professor of Forensic Psychology at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She has done extensive research on both psychopathy and neuromodulation and thinks it’s a fruitful avenue for treatment. How is it any different than regular medication?
- Dr. Josi Driessen is Assistant Professor at the Donders Centre for Cognition and School of Psychology at the Radboud University. She investigates social decision making in individuals with psychopathic and antisocial traits. What do we know about psychopathy?
- Dr. Maren Wehrle is Associate Professor in Practical Philosophy at Erasmus School of Philosophy. What is the difference between psychopaths and ‘normal’ people? Who decides this difference?
