What is a psychopath?

A psychopath has a personality disorder, characterised by narcissism and manipulation. Forensic psychologist Robert Hare – the author of seminal articles and books on psychopathy – describes psychopaths as “remorseless predators who use charm, intimidation and, if necessary, impulsive and cold-blooded violence to attain their ends.”

What are the signs of a psychopath?

Psychopathic traits include a grandiose sense of self-worth, manipulation, low intelligence, superficial charm, pathological lying, shallow emotions, lack of empathy, lack of guilt, and a parasitic lifestyle. Psychopaths have low levels of anxiousness and a bold interpersonal style. They speak softly and do not deviate in voice emphasis between neutral and emotional words.

Psychopath Test

Question 1 of 50

1. I am manipulative

Yes No

1. I am manipulative
2. Everyone is manipulative
3. Manipulated people deserve it
4. I have a cruel streak
5. I exploit others for my own gain
6. I lack remorse
7. I am skilled at mimicking empathy
8. Selfishness is a sign of strength
9. I am entitled to special treatment
10. I have arrogant body language

11. I see people as prey
12. I betray people’s trust
13. I have isolated someone to further abuse them
14. I have a fake self I show to others
15. The power to harm arouses me
16. Power is intoxicating
17. I don’t care about anyone but myself
18. I was a bully at school
19. Empathy is a weakness I take advantage of
20. It is worth my own suffering to punish others

21. I play people against each other
22. I manufacture chaos around me
23. I brag about how great I am
24. I like to make people feel bad
25. I am vindictive
26. I have set traps for someone
27. I feel contempt for happy people
28. I respect a clever scam
29. I flatter those I can leech from
30. I bully those I consider weak

31. I am superior to others
32. I fly into rages when my importance has been questioned
33. I feel rage that I was born
34. I am skilled at controlling people
35. I am hypersensitive to perceived insults
36. I like to make people doubt their own sanity
37. I have harmed a baby
38. I have hurt an animal
39. I lead a parasitic lifestyle
40. I idealise, devalue and discard people

41. I like to get others into trouble
42. I have cheated someone out of money
43. I enjoy tormenting people
44. I use people’s words against them
45. I blame others for my mistakes
46. I despise sexual women
47. I cannot form meaningful relationships
48. I don’t fall in love; I just love myself
49. I love to watch people suffer
50. I have tortured insects

Frequently asked questions

What is a psychopath?: A psychopath has a personality disorder, characterised by narcissism and manipulation. Forensic psychologist Robert Hare – the author of seminal articles and books on psychopathy – describes psychopaths as “remorseless predators who use charm, intimidation and, if necessary, impulsive and cold-blooded violence to attain their ends.”
What are the signs of a psychopath?: Psychopathic traits include a grandiose sense of self-worth, manipulation, low intelligence, superficial charm, pathological lying, shallow emotions, lack of empathy, lack of guilt, and a parasitic lifestyle. Psychopaths have low levels of anxiousness and a bold interpersonal style. They speak softly and do not deviate in voice emphasis between neutral and emotional words.
What is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?: The terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” are often used interchangeably. A sociopath also has a personality disorder typified by a failure to adapt to ethical and social norms. However, according to Robert Hare, there is some difference. While the term “sociopath” refers mainly to behaviour, “psychopath” refers to inner experience.
How many people are psychopaths?: Roughly one in 1,000 people is a psychopath. In 2009, Jeremy Coid conducted a study to measure the prevalence of psychopathy in Great Britain – the prevalence was 0.6%. However, this used a cut-off of 13 rather than the clinically recommended 18, which would have left it closer to 0.1%.
How do I deal with a psychopath?: The best way to deal with a psychopath is to not deal with a psychopath. But if communication is unavoidable, do not talk face-to-face. Do not express your emotions or show them sympathy; they will take advantage of it.
Can psychopaths love?: No, psychopaths cannot love as they have impoverished affective functioning. They have no emotional attachment, and simply use other people to achieve their own goals. They may have “friends” and be married, but these relationships are not based on feelings of friendship and love – they are based on cold calculation.
Can psychopaths be cured?: No, psychopaths cannot be cured. Psychopathic features manifest themselves in early childhood and remain stable over time. While psychobiological factors cannot be influenced, what can be changed to some extent is the behaviour of a psychopath. However, even this type of intervention can only be successful early in childhood.
Is this online test accurate?: This is a free psychopathy spectrum test that relies on honesty so results and statistics will not be as accurate as a professionally administered PCL-R test.

If you want to read more about psychopaths, we’d recommend The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson.