Title: Investigating the current theoretical conceptualisation of successful psychopathy: A systematic review Objectives: Objectives of this systematic review are to (a) investigate existing theoretical conceptualisation of successful psychopathy and, (b) consider future trajectories of research into successful psychopathy. Design: The systematic review was conducted using four databases: Scopus, Zetoc, PSYCinfo, and Proquest. Based on a scoping review, the search strategy will centre around the two key concepts of “psychopathy” and “success”. These concepts encompass a range of trait terms (psychopathy, psychopathic, narcissism, narcissistic) and potential outcome behaviours or traits (success[ful], adaptive, leadership, corporate, functioning). Methods: After applying the search strategy to each database, papers were screened for applicable inclusion, using the criteria of (a) sample age, (b) reporting relationships between psychopathy and outcome behaviours, (c) availability in English, and (d) discussion of psychopathy and individual success. Exclusion criteria was based primarily upon the psychometric measures used to investigate psychopathy in the general population, i.e. no studies including the PCL-R or Dark Triad (DT) scales will be included in the analysis. Data was synthesised using a data extraction table demonstrating all relevant publication information, and selected papers were subject to a quality assessment (using AXIS protocols). Results: A narrative synthesis was performed. The key factors associated with the successful psychopathy construct were fearlessness, stress immunity, social potency, normal or superior cognitive performance, professional achievement, stable socioeconomic status, leadership, pride, and aversion to punishment during conflict. Inconsistent findings were considered a result of the variations in psychopathy measurements used, and a lack of an agreed definition of success. Conclusions: Inconsistent findings were considered a result of the variations in psychopathy measurements used, and a lack of an agreed definition of success. Recommendations are provided for the establishment of a unified framework, and the need for a moderated measure of successful psychopathy to allow more systematic research into the notion of successful psychopathy in the general populations. Louise Wallace BSc MSc PhD Researcher | Affect, Personality, and the Embodied Brain Research group (APE) Hourly Paid Lecturer Division of Psychology School of Social Sciences Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham. NG1 4FQ Telephone: +44 7814897379 Email: louise.wallace@ntu.ac.uk DISCLAIMER: This email is intended solely for the addressee. It may contain private and confidential information. If you are not the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor show a copy to anyone. In this case, please reply to this email to highlight the error. Opinions and information in this email that do not relate to the official business of Nottingham Trent University shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by the University. Nottingham Trent University has taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus-free, but we do advise that the recipient should check that the email and its attachments are actually virus free. This is in keeping with good computing practice.