Human resources and employment screening for psychopathy: ethical considerations

This chapter builds upon The Ethics of Employment Screening for Psychopathy (EESP), which critically examines the practice of screening job candidates for psychopathic traits, especially within the framework of the Corporate Psychopath Hypothesis (CPH). While recognizing the real and documented harms caused by toxic leadership, the chapter argues that preemptive screening for psychopathy raises serious ethical and legal concerns, including potential violations of anti-discrimination laws and basic principles of justice. Although CPH research highlights the dangers posed by psychopathic individuals in corporate settings, the inability to clinically diagnose psychopathy without psychological testing complicates pre-employment identification. The chapter expands EESP's arguments to a global context and incorporates recent developments in CPH scholarship. It maintains that while removing toxic leaders after harm is justified, preemptive screening for psychopathy presents ethical challenges that demand careful consideration. Ultimately, the chapter questions whether preventive strategies can be ethically justified without undermining individual rights and fairness.