Why psychopaths could be a force for the ‘greater good’

In a rare piece of good press for the persistently antisocial, researchers have found that there are some tasks that are particularly suited for them

Most will agree that psychopaths are a bad thing for society. They're into genocide, violence, reckless banking, sadistic political policies and sending deranged tweets late at night.

However, a new study suggests psychopaths could act as a force for "greater good". The research, by the University of Plymouth, found that when you need to carry out a bit of utilitarianism - sacrificing one person to save many others, for example - you might be wise to rely on someone with psychopathic traits to get the job done.