Final answer:
Hervey Cleckley defined the central characteristic of a psychopath as the profound absence of moral or ethical restraints in behavior, alongside traits like superficial charm, unreliability, and a general poverty in major affective reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Hervey Cleckley, the central defining characteristic of a psychopath is the lack of a meaningful and binding sense of moral or ethical constraints on their behavior. Psychopaths, as described by Cleckley, often exhibit superficial charm, unreliability, untruthfulness, insincerity, lack of remorse or shame, poor judgment and inability to learn from experience, pathologic egocentricity, incapacity for love, and general poverty in major affective reactions.
Moreover, this psychopathic characteristic is often observed alongside other traits, which may include egocentricity, manipulative behavior, and an inability to form deep emotional bonds. It's important to note that these characteristics are complex and can vary from individual to individual. Research on psychopathy has evolved, and scholars such as Eysenck have added dimensions like psychoticism, while others, like Freud, explored the mind's development and its influence on psychopathologies. All this research provides a more comprehensive understanding of psychopathy as a multifaceted personality disorder.