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Was British Cold War Spy and Double Agent Kim Philby a Successful Psychopath? A Psychobiographical Analysis

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Psychobiographical Illustrations on Meaning and Identity in Sociocultural Contexts

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Abstract

Harold ‘Kim’ Philby (1912–1988) was a British MI6 intelligence officer who became infamous for acting as a double agent for the Soviet Union during the Second World War and the early Cold War period. He has recently been subject to a character analysis by historian Ben Macintyre. The present paper applies psychological science to Macintyre’s evidence, to assess whether Philby could be considered psychopathic and, if so, whether his developmental history can shed light on how this might have come about. A charming, accomplished liar and sensation-seeker, displaying marked callous and manipulative traits, his dedication to the communist cause gave meaning to his life not achievable through close personal relationships. Philby’s case adds to discussion about the little-understood aetiology of psychopathy and supports the suggestion that espionage is a field in which psychopaths who are not antisocial or impulsive can achieve success.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Rosalyn H. Shute

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  1. Rosalyn H. Shute
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Correspondence to Rosalyn H. Shute .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Claude-Hélène Mayer

  2. Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Paul, J.P. Fouché

  3. Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

    Roelf Van Niekerk

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Shute, R.H. (2021). Was British Cold War Spy and Double Agent Kim Philby a Successful Psychopath? A Psychobiographical Analysis. In: Mayer, CH., Fouché, P.J., Van Niekerk, R. (eds) Psychobiographical Illustrations on Meaning and Identity in Sociocultural Contexts . Sociocultural Psychology of the Lifecourse . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81238-6_9

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