Psychopathic people are deceitful, manipulative, callous and lacking in remorse, as well as impulsive, stimulus seeking, and rarely abide by civil rules of order. Psychopathy is a personality disorder, and like all mental disorders, is not a categorical condition (e.g., pregnant or not). Instead, psychopathy is dimensional like height (relatively tall Dutch compared to shorter Chileans) or the better analogy is like hypertension (e.g., from mild to severe). Among criminal offenders, 15-25% are severely psychopathic, but in corporate or community settings between 1-4% have elevated (moderate-severe) psychopathic features (1,2,3). At first encounter, it is not likely we can spot a psychopath because they manipulate how they present (charmers with charisma) but perhaps even more so, because many of us are naturally trusting of what others say and do (4). Also, psychopathic persons tend to pick people (‘targets’) who may be vulnerable (5). Over time, the personality pathology becomes evident for those who encounter such people, IF they trust themselves (not the psychopath's gaslighting), and their gut (6). Sophisticated research finds that psychopathic persons display a contradictory communication style; what appear to be genuine smiles (Duchenne smiles) in conjunction with angry, hostile language and increased hand gestures (7). Healthy personality involves a strong sense of self identity and direction and an enduring capacity for empathic and intimate relationships. The psychopath lacks such, and ultimately, their life course is one of disaster and self-destruction (8).
1. Babiak, P., Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (2010). Corporate psychopathy: Talking the walk. Behavioral sciences & the law, 28(2), 174-193.
2. Hare, R. D., Neumann, C. S., & Mokros, A. (2018). The PCL-R assessment of psychopathy: Development, properties, debates, and new directions. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 39-79). New York, NY, US: The Guilford Press.
3. Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (2008). Psychopathic traits in a large community sample: links to violence, alcohol use, and intelligence. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 76(5), 893.
4. Manson JH, Gervais MM, Bryant GA (2018) General trust impedes perception of self-reported primary psychopathy in thin slices of social interaction. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196729.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196729
5. Book, A., Costello, K., & Camilleri, J. A. (2013). Psychopathy and victim selection: The use of gait as a cue to vulnerability. Journal of interpersonal violence, 28(11), 2368-2383.
6. Meloy, J. R., & Meloy, M. J. (2003). Autonomic arousal in the presence of psychopathy: A survey of mental health and criminal justice professionals. Journal of Threat Assessment, 2(2), 21-33.
7. Ten Brinke, L., Porter, S., Korva, N., Fowler, K., Lilienfeld, S. O., & Patrick, C. J. (2017). An examination of the communication styles associated with psychopathy and their influence on observer impressions. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 41(3), 269-287.
8. Hervey Clecklely, The Psycopath: A Problem for Society, 10 Fed. Probation 22(1946)
1. Babiak, P., Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (2010). Corporate psychopathy: Talking the walk. Behavioral sciences & the law, 28(2), 174-193.
2. Hare, R. D., Neumann, C. S., & Mokros, A. (2018). The PCL-R assessment of psychopathy: Development, properties, debates, and new directions. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 39-79). New York, NY, US: The Guilford Press.
3. Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (2008). Psychopathic traits in a large community sample: links to violence, alcohol use, and intelligence. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 76(5), 893.
4. Manson JH, Gervais MM, Bryant GA (2018) General trust impedes perception of self-reported primary psychopathy in thin slices of social interaction. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196729.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196729
5. Book, A., Costello, K., & Camilleri, J. A. (2013). Psychopathy and victim selection: The use of gait as a cue to vulnerability. Journal of interpersonal violence, 28(11), 2368-2383.
6. Meloy, J. R., & Meloy, M. J. (2003). Autonomic arousal in the presence of psychopathy: A survey of mental health and criminal justice professionals. Journal of Threat Assessment, 2(2), 21-33.
7. Ten Brinke, L., Porter, S., Korva, N., Fowler, K., Lilienfeld, S. O., & Patrick, C. J. (2017). An examination of the communication styles associated with psychopathy and their influence on observer impressions. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 41(3), 269-287.
8. Hervey Clecklely, The Psycopath: A Problem for Society, 10 Fed. Probation 22(1946)