--- title: Which Professions Have the Most Psychopaths? The Fewest? description: CEO is the profession with the most psychopaths. But first off, psychopath doesn’t just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw — though... canonical: https://time.com/32647/which-professions-have-the-most-psychopaths-the-fewest/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-21T04:01:43.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:43:11.796Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Which Professions Have the Most Psychopaths? The Fewest? og:description: CEO is the profession with the most psychopaths. But first off, psychopath doesn’t just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw — though... og:url: https://time.com/32647/which-professions-have-the-most-psychopaths-the-fewest/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt86f75df4f2a38abd/698686a835ba6f54edc011b5/business-man-working.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1500 og:image:height: 844 og:image:alt: CEO Profession og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Which Professions Have the Most Psychopaths? The Fewest? twitter:description: CEO is the profession with the most psychopaths. But first off, psychopath doesn’t just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw — though... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt86f75df4f2a38abd/698686a835ba6f54edc011b5/business-man-working.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Which Professions Have the Most Psychopaths? The Fewest? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. 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Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Mar 21, 2014 4:01 AM UTC  business man business manGetty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Mar 21, 2014 4:01 AM UTC **CEO is the profession with the most psychopaths.** But first off, psychopath doesn’t just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw — though the majority of people who do things like that are psychopaths. What’s the [definition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy)? --- > “” --- So which professions (other than axe murderer) have the most psychopaths? What about the least? Via [The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374291357/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0374291357&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20):  And the next thing that comes to mind is: **_Why_** **?** Most of the professions on the right require human connection, dealing with feelings and most of them don’t offer much power. Psychopaths, by their very nature, would not be drawn to or very good at these things. On the other hand, most of the roles on the left do offer power and many require an ability to make objective, clinical decisions divorced from feelings. Psychopaths would be drawn to these roles and thrive there. _That said…_ Chef? Really? I guess it pays to tread lightly around anyone who has a set of knives bearing their initials. ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. 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Related posts: [Do Starbucks employees have more emotional intelligence than your doctor?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/starbucks-employees-emotional-intelligence-doctor/) [Are psychopaths more likely to become criminals… or CEOs?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/ceos-psychopaths/) [Are there too many psychopaths in Corporate America?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/05/are-there-too-many-psychopaths-in-corporate-a/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/professions-most-fewest-psychopaths/)_._ _Read next:_ [_Top 10 FBI Behavioral Unit Techniques for Building Rapport With Anyone_](http://time.com/98473/top-10-fbi-behavioral-unit-techniques-for-building-rapport-with-anyone/?xid=time%5Freadnext) ### See 11 of the Worst Dictators Portrayed in Movies  Kim Jong-un - The Interview Columbia  RALPH FIENNES as Lord Voldemort in Warner Bros. 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