The Insanity Hoax

"The mad genius is a favorite cultural stereotype, but despite media caricatures, popular expectations, and the extravagant claims of a few, there's no scientific proof that creative people are crazier than anyone else. Drawing on three decades of research, psychologist Judith Schlesinger tracks the myth from its birth in ancient Greece to modern times, showing how it distorts society's view of our most exceptional minds"--Page 4 of cover.

The mad genius is a favorite cultural stereotype, but despite media caricatures, popular expectations, and the extravagant claims of a few, there's no scientific proof that creative people are crazier than anyone else. Drawing on four decades of research, psychologist Judith Schlesinger tracks the myth from its birth in ancient Greece to modern times, showing how it distorts society's view of our most exceptional minds. Psychologists once claimed that geniuses were "stammering, pasty-faced vagabonds." Today they are called "bipolar," which is equally scientific. It's high time to retire all the cartoons.

Of related interest . . . PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT —Theodore H. Blau This unique training guide/reference was written in response to the ever-growing demand for psychological services in law enforcement agencies. Written by one of the nation's most respected experts in forensic psychology, it offers psychologists now working in law enforcement agencies and those interested in entering the field, a detailed overview of the many functions psychologists serve within those agencies. Organized by sections corresponding to the major functions psychologists perform—assessment, intervention, consultation, and training—the book deals with all issues that psychologists working in law enforcement will encounter in their practice, including officer recruitment, fitness-for-duty evaluations, stress counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, hostage negotiations, investigative hypnosis, management consultation, and much more. 1994 (0-471-55950-4) 454 pp. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE CHILD —Theodore H. Blau Over twenty-five years in the making and the result of examinations of over four thousand children, this book is a comprehensive guide to performing psychological examinations on children. Covering virtually every aspect of the examination procedure, it offers specific recommendations and step-by-step guidelines to everything from office decor, requisite equipment, test selection, rating categories, and techniques for minimizing stress to administering tests, writing reports, and making recommendations. Closely following Dr. Blau's famous Basic Psychological Examination package, the book guides readers in their assessment of environmental pressure, behavioral responses, intellectual factors, neuropsychological status, response capabilities, academic achievement, and personality. 1991 (0-471-63559-6) 279 pp. THE PSYCHOLOGIST AS EXPERT WITNESS —Theodore H. Blau This very practical guide arms mental health professionals with everything they need to serve comfortably and effectively as expert witnesses. With the help of numerous real-life examples, excerpts from transcripts, sample forms, checklists, and legal documents, it shows you how to: prepare for your day in court; avoid being manipulated by attorneys; write up depositions and psychological and technical reports; and much more. And, as the use of mental health professionals as expert witnesses continues to extend beyond traditional judicial applications, the author addresses a wide range of untraditional situations and types of cases in which readers may be called upon to serve, including cases of liability and personal injury, eyewitness identification research, trademark and patent litigation, and others. 1984 (0-471-87129-X) 424 pp. PSYCHIATRY AND CRIMINAL CULPABILITY How do we distinguish between sin and sickness? Few cases in recent memory so well typify the current confusion over this question as that of Jeffrey Dahmer. The confessed killer of fifteen young men, Dahmer had sex with and cannibalized his victims' bodies. Yet, because he was not found to be mentally ill—the threshold requirement in tests of legal insanity-—he was convicted and sentenced to 936 years imprisonment. How is it that such a severely disturbed person as Dahmer is adjudged sane and therefore culpable, while "Twinkiedefense" killer, Dan White and would-be presidential assassin John Hinckley, Jr., are deemed not guilty by reason of insanity? What are the origins of tests for criminal responsibility, and how is mental illness defined under them? Can causal links be shown to exist between specific crimes and disorders? Psychiatry and Criminal Culpability explores, in-depth, these questions and many others at the heart of one of the most controversial issues in our criminal justice system today. Throughout, Dr. Ralph Slovenko, an acknowledged expert whose professional experience straddles both the worlds of psychiatry and the law, brings a wealth of scholarship and direct experience to bear on the subject. Citing numerous landmark cases and historical formulations of criminal responsibility dating back to biblical times, he traces the evolution of current legal and psychiatric notions of culpability and the relationship between culpability and insanity. Writing for both a mental health and legal audience, Dr. Slovenko clearly and eloquently addresses a wide range of important topical issues. He explains the distinctions between the defenses of not guilty by reason of insanity, guilty but mentally ill, and diminished capacity. He identifies the types of mental illness that currently qualify under the test of criminal responsibility, including disorders that psychiatrists do not regard as psychotic, but which, nevertheless, many experts assert negate responsibility. He explores the role of the mental health professional as an expert character witness in cases where it is uncertain whether the accused committed the crime in question. And much more. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and enlightening, Psychiatry and Criminal Culpability helps guide mental health and legal professionals through the moral and technical complexities of one of the knottiest issues of our day.

“The landmark book that argued that psychiatry consistently expands its definition of mental illness to impose its authority over moral and cultural conflict.” — New York Times The 50th anniversary edition of the most influential critique of psychiatry every written, with a new preface on the age of Prozac and Ritalin and the rise of designer drugs, plus two bonus essays. Thomas Szasz's classic book revolutionized thinking about the nature of the psychiatric profession and the moral implications of its practices. By diagnosing unwanted behavior as mental illness, psychiatrists, Szasz argues, absolve individuals of responsibility for their actions and instead blame their alleged illness. He also critiques Freudian psychology as a pseudoscience and warns against the dangerous overreach of psychiatry into all aspects of modern life.

"Beyond Discouragement - Creativity" summarizes our times: the contexts in which we live, the conundrums we encounter and their impact on adults and children. The book has been described as harsh a no holds barred reality check and politically incorrect. The author aggressively paints his observations, leaving reactions to the reader. In this verbal sketch-book there are no pretty pictures. Beyond Discouragement - Creativity is a wake up call, a jarring jolt - a reminder that things are not what they pretend to be. But despite the discouraging times we live in, the author remains optimistic. The many sketches he lays out are meant to raise questions and even shackles, cause discussions to happen and passions to be stirred - all of this in the hope that the encouragement of creativity will become prevalent in the daily lives of adults and children everywhere. Thank you for your feedback: [email protected]

A startling and authoritative look at the special-interest groups that have corrupted the climate change debate.

Is there really a thin line between madness and genius? This book provides a thorough review of the current state of knowledge on this age old idea, and presents new empirical research to put an end to this debate, but also to open up discussion about the implications of its findings.

Debates surrounding Affirmative Action, the public policies and initiatives designed to help eliminate past and present discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, have raged for years. In his book, Professor Farron examines the history of affirmative action and exposes the fraudulent nature of its justification. The Affirmative Action Hoax centers on universities where academic achievement can be clearly compared and where affirmative action generates intense controversy. The Affirmative Action Hoax offers an uninhibited examination of the practice and exposes the damage it causes to society.