18 votes

Have you ever met a psychopath?

For the past month, I have been reading "The Wisdom of Psychopaths" by Kevin Dutton which delves into traits, behaviors, and motivations behind psychopaths. This book isn't just about serial killers but rather also the "successful" functional psychopaths such as stockbrokers, politicians, and business executives. You can read an excerpt from the book here if interested. A few interesting takeaways that I have had from the book so far are the innate cues that some people have on picking up on psychopathic cues. This is like speaking to someone and getting the heebie-jeebies from them for some reason. Apparently, women are more perceptive to this than men.

So, I'm curious if you have ever met a person that gave off that vibe, and what in particular gave you that vibe?

15 comments

  1. [6]
    Grendel
    Link
    My wife and I are foster parents. We once took in an 11 year old boy who after three days we believed to be a psychopath. His predilection for harming people and animals, coupled with his amazing...

    My wife and I are foster parents. We once took in an 11 year old boy who after three days we believed to be a psychopath. His predilection for harming people and animals, coupled with his amazing ability to come up with believable lies and tears on the spot made (along with a significant trauma history) us realize his care was beyond our abilities.

    At one point he found a pocket knife in the car, looked my wife in the eyes and calmely said "what would happen if I stabbed you right now?".

    15 votes
    1. [2]
      Icarus
      Link Parent
      Have you ever heard anything regarding them after they left your care? When you raised the issue with the caseworker, did they indicate any special care would be given to them?

      Have you ever heard anything regarding them after they left your care? When you raised the issue with the caseworker, did they indicate any special care would be given to them?

      7 votes
      1. Grendel
        Link Parent
        So here's the deal. He had originally been placed in a foster home with his younger sister. They both went up for adoption and the family adopted his sister but not him, since he was constantly...

        So here's the deal. He had originally been placed in a foster home with his younger sister. They both went up for adoption and the family adopted his sister but not him, since he was constantly trying to harm her and they couldn't live together.

        Then he went to what's called Residential care. It's almost like a psych ward for children who have behaviors/issues so severe that they are unable to safely live anywhere else.

        His case worker didn't believe he was severe enough to need that and was trying to find a foster family to place him in with the hope of him being adopted. That's when he was placed with us.

        After the three days my wife and I realized that we just couldn't provide for his needs. We didn't have any training for those types of behaviors and he had shown himself to be a threat to us.

        Sadly he had to go back to residential care, and I have a strong feeling he is likely still there to this day. He has probably become "institutionalized" at this point and there is very little hope of him having a successful life after he ages out of the system. It's tragic and I'm sad we couldn't do more for him.

        9 votes
    2. [2]
      NoblePath
      Link Parent
      I’m curious what percent of psychopaths suffer from ptsd, especially cptsd. It seems like many of the traits could be valuable survival coping mechanisms developed in a highly dysfunctional...

      I’m curious what percent of psychopaths suffer from ptsd, especially cptsd. It seems like many of the traits could be valuable survival coping mechanisms developed in a highly dysfunctional environment.

      3 votes
      1. Grendel
        Link Parent
        Oh I absolutely believe that his was caused by PTSD. We weren't given the details but were told that he suffered extemem physical abuse from both mother and father. Its the only way they know how...

        Oh I absolutely believe that his was caused by PTSD. We weren't given the details but were told that he suffered extemem physical abuse from both mother and father.

        Its the only way they know how to survive. On top of that it can cause RAD, which essentially renders them incapable of feeling love or attachment, both of which are needed for empathy.

        2 votes
  2. [8]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      I’m most curious about how you feel about your past actions now. You’ve learned some of the moral framework that most people implicitly understand, but is it properly emulated or just an act to...

      I’m most curious about how you feel about your past actions now. You’ve learned some of the moral framework that most people implicitly understand, but is it properly emulated or just an act to live more easily in our world?

      I ask because I have heard that people that are psychopaths have no sense of guilt.

      9 votes
    2. [6]
      Icarus
      Link Parent
      I'd be interested to see your results from a Big-5 personality test. Here is a very good one if you are interested in taking it: https://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/IPIP/ipipneo120.htm Don't feel...

      I'd be interested to see your results from a Big-5 personality test. Here is a very good one if you are interested in taking it:

      https://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/IPIP/ipipneo120.htm

      Don't feel obligated to share your results, but the book I referenced in my OP does lay out the typical results of psychopaths so it would be interesting to compare.

      4 votes
      1. [5]
        mrbig
        Link Parent
        I took the test. IPIP-NEO Narrative Report NOTE: The report sent to your computer screen upon the completion of the IPIP-NEO is only a temporary web page. When you exit your web browser you will...

        I took the test.

        IPIP-NEO Narrative Report
        NOTE: The report sent to your computer screen upon the completion of the IPIP-NEO is only a temporary web page. When you exit your web browser you will not be able to return to this URL to re-access your report. No copies of the report are sent to anyone. IF YOU WANT A PERMANENT COPY OF THE REPORT, YOU MUST SAVE THE WEB PAGE TO YOUR HARD DRIVE OR OTHER STORAGE MEDIUM, AND/OR PRINT THE REPORT WHILE YOU ARE STILL VIEWING IT IN YOUR WEB BROWSER. Probably the best way to save the report is to select and copy the entire page (Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C on most browsers), paste it into a word processor, and save the document.
        This report compares nioxilykayshysteaviamea from the country Brazil to other men between 21 and 40 years of age. (The name used in this report is either a nickname chosen by the person taking the test, or, if a valid nickname was not chosen, a random nickname generated by the program.)
        
        This report estimates the individual's level on each of the five broad personality domains of the Five-Factor Model. The description of each one of the five broad domains is followed by a more detailed description of personality according to the six subdomains that comprise each domain.
        
        A note on terminology. Personality traits describe, relative to other people, the frequency or intensity of a person's feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. Possession of a trait is therefore a matter of degree. We might describe two individuals as extraverts, but still see one as more extraverted than the other. This report uses expressions such as "extravert" or "high in extraversion" to describe someone who is likely to be seen by others as relatively extraverted. The computer program that generates this report classifies you as low, average, or high in a trait according to whether your score is approximately in the lowest 30%, middle 40%, or highest 30% of scores obtained by people of your sex and roughly your age. Your numerical scores are reported and graphed as percentile estimates. For example, a score of "60" means that your level on that trait is estimated to be higher than 60% of persons of your sex and age.
        
        Please keep in mind that "low," "average," and "high" scores on a personality test are neither absolutely good nor bad. A particular level on any trait will probably be neutral or irrelevant for a great many activities, be helpful for accomplishing some things, and detrimental for accomplishing other things. As with any personality inventory, scores and descriptions can only approximate an individual's actual personality. High and low score descriptions are usually accurate, but average scores close to the low or high boundaries might misclassify you as only average. On each set of six subdomain scales it is somewhat uncommon but certainly possible to score high in some of the subdomains and low in the others. In such cases more attention should be paid to the subdomain scores than to the broad domain score. Questions about the accuracy of your results are best resolved by showing your report to people who know you well.
        
        John A. Johnson wrote descriptions of the five domains and thirty subdomains. These descriptions are based on an extensive reading of the scientific literature on personality measurement. Although Dr. Johnson would like to be acknowledged as the author of these materials if they are reproduced, he has placed them in the public domain.
        
        Extraversion
        Extraversion is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, are full of energy, and often experience positive emotions. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented, individuals who are likely to say "Yes!" or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves.
        Introverts lack the exuberance, energy, and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and disengaged from the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression; the introvert simply needs less stimulation than an extravert and prefers to be alone. The independence and reserve of the introvert is sometimes mistaken as unfriendliness or arrogance. In reality, an introvert who scores high on the agreeableness dimension will not seek others out but will be quite pleasant when approached.
        
        DOMAIN/Facet	Score	
        EXTRAVERSION	1	
        ..Friendliness	1	
        ..Gregariousness	14	
        ..Assertiveness	54	
        ..Activity Level	1	
        ..Excitement-Seeking	10	
        ..Cheerfulness	1	
        Your score on Extraversion is low, indicating you are introverted, reserved, and quiet. You enjoy solitude and solitary activities. Your socializing tends to be restricted to a few close friends.
        
        Extraversion Facets
        Friendliness. Friendly people genuinely like other people and openly demonstrate positive feelings toward others. They make friends quickly and it is easy for them to form close, intimate relationships. Low scorers on Friendliness are not necessarily cold and hostile, but they do not reach out to others and are perceived as distant and reserved. Your level of friendliness is low.
        Gregariousness. Gregarious people find the company of others pleasantly stimulating and rewarding. They enjoy the excitement of crowds. Low scorers tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. They do not necessarily dislike being with people sometimes, but their need for privacy and time to themselves is much greater than for individuals who score high on this scale. Your level of gregariousness is low.
        Assertiveness. High scorers Assertiveness like to speak out, take charge, and direct the activities of others. They tend to be leaders in groups. Low scorers tend not to talk much and let others control the activities of groups. Your level of assertiveness is average.
        Activity Level. Active individuals lead fast-paced, busy lives. They move about quickly, energetically, and vigorously, and they are involved in many activities. People who score low on this scale follow a slower and more leisurely, relaxed pace. Your activity level is low.
        Excitement-Seeking. High scorers on this scale are easily bored without high levels of stimulation. They love bright lights and hustle and bustle. They are likely to take risks and seek thrills. Low scorers are overwhelmed by noise and commotion and are averse to thrill-seeking. Your level of excitement-seeking is low.
        Cheerfulness. This scale measures positive mood and feelings, not negative emotions (which are a part of the Neuroticism domain). Persons who score high on this scale typically experience a range of positive feelings, including happiness, enthusiasm, optimism, and joy. Low scorers are not as prone to such energetic, high spirits. Your level of positive emotions is low.
        Agreeableness
        Agreeableness reflects individual differences in concern with cooperation and social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are therefore considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others'. Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically honest, decent, and trustworthy.
        Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others' well-being, and therefore are unlikely to extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others' motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative.
        
        Agreeableness is obviously advantageous for attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better liked than disagreeable people. On the other hand, agreeableness is not useful in situations that require tough or absolute objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics, or soldiers.
        
        DOMAIN/Facet	Score	
        AGREEABLENESS	25	
        ..Trust	51	
        ..Morality	61	
        ..Altruism	5	
        ..Cooperation	80	
        ..Modesty	1	
        ..Sympathy	21	
        Your score on Agreeableness is low, indicating less concern with others' needs Than with your own. People see you as tough, critical, and uncompromising.
        
        Agreeableness Facets
        Trust. A person with high trust assumes that most people are fair, honest, and have good intentions. Persons low in trust see others as selfish, devious, and potentially dangerous. Your level of trust is average.
        Morality. High scorers on this scale see no need for pretense or manipulation when dealing with others and are therefore candid, frank, and sincere. Low scorers believe that a certain amount of deception in social relationships is necessary. People find it relatively easy to relate to the straightforward high-scorers on this scale. They generally find it more difficult to relate to the unstraightforward low-scorers on this scale. It should be made clear that low scorers are not unprincipled or immoral; they are simply more guarded and less willing to openly reveal the whole truth. Your level of morality is average.
        Altruism. Altruistic people find helping other people genuinely rewarding. Consequently, they are generally willing to assist those who are in need. Altruistic people find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfillment rather than self-sacrifice. Low scorers on this scale do not particularly like helping those in need. Requests for help feel like an imposition rather than an opportunity for self-fulfillment. Your level of altruism is low.
        Cooperation. Individuals who score high on this scale dislike confrontations. They are perfectly willing to compromise or to deny their own needs in order to get along with others. Those who score low on this scale are more likely to intimidate others to get their way. Your level of cooperation is high.
        Modesty. High scorers on this scale do not like to claim that they are better than other people. In some cases this attitude may derive from low self-confidence or self-esteem. Nonetheless, some people with high self-esteem find immodesty unseemly. Those who are willing to describe themselves as superior tend to be seen as disagreeably arrogant by other people. Your level of modesty is low.
        Sympathy. People who score high on this scale are tenderhearted and compassionate. They feel the pain of others vicariously and are easily moved to pity. Low scorers are not affected strongly by human suffering. They pride themselves on making objective judgments based on reason. They are more concerned with truth and impartial justice than with mercy. Your level of tender-mindedness is low.
        Conscientiousness
        Conscientiousness concerns the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses. Impulses are not inherently bad; occasionally time constraints require a snap decision, and acting on our first impulse can be an effective response. Also, in times of play rather than work, acting spontaneously and impulsively can be fun. Impulsive individuals can be seen by others as colorful, fun-to-be-with, and zany.
        Nonetheless, acting on impulse can lead to trouble in a number of ways. Some impulses are antisocial. Uncontrolled antisocial acts not only harm other members of society, but also can result in retribution toward the perpetrator of such impulsive acts. Another problem with impulsive acts is that they often produce immediate rewards but undesirable, long-term consequences. Examples include excessive socializing that leads to being fired from one's job, hurling an insult that causes the breakup of an important relationship, or using pleasure-inducing drugs that eventually destroy one's health.
        
        Impulsive behavior, even when not seriously destructive, diminishes a person's effectiveness in significant ways. Acting impulsively disallows contemplating alternative courses of action, some of which would have been wiser than the impulsive choice. Impulsivity also sidetracks people during projects that require organized sequences of steps or stages. Accomplishments of an impulsive person are therefore small, scattered, and inconsistent.
        
        A hallmark of intelligence, what potentially separates human beings from earlier life forms, is the ability to think about future consequences before acting on an impulse. Intelligent activity involves contemplation of long-range goals, organizing and planning routes to these goals, and persisting toward one's goals in the face of short-lived impulses to the contrary. The idea that intelligence involves impulse control is nicely captured by the term prudence, an alternative label for the Conscientiousness domain. Prudent means both wise and cautious. Persons who score high on the Conscientiousness scale are, in fact, perceived by others as intelligent.
        
        The benefits of high conscientiousness are obvious. Conscientious individuals avoid trouble and achieve high levels of success through purposeful planning and persistence. They are also positively regarded by others as intelligent and reliable. On the negative side, they can be compulsive perfectionists and workaholics. Furthermore, extremely conscientious individuals might be regarded as stuffy and boring. Unconscientious people may be criticized for their unreliability, lack of ambition, and failure to stay within the lines, but they will experience many short-lived pleasures and they will never be called stuffy.
        
        DOMAIN/Facet	Score	
        CONSCIENTIOUSNESS	1	
        ..Self-Efficacy	1	
        ..Orderliness	49	
        ..Dutifulness	28	
        ..Achievement-Striving	1	
        ..Self-Discipline	1	
        ..Cautiousness	38	
        Your score on Conscientiousness is low, indicating you like to live for the moment and do what feels good now. Your work tends to be careless and disorganized.
        
        Conscientiousness Facets
        Self-Efficacy. Self-Efficacy describes confidence in one's ability to accomplish things. High scorers believe they have the intelligence (common sense), drive, and self-control necessary for achieving success. Low scorers do not feel effective, and may have a sense that they are not in control of their lives. Your level of self-efficacy is low.
        Orderliness. Persons with high scores on orderliness are well-organized. They like to live according to routines and schedules. They keep lists and make plans. Low scorers tend to be disorganized and scattered. Your level of orderliness is average.
        Dutifulness. This scale reflects the strength of a person's sense of duty and obligation. Those who score high on this scale have a strong sense of moral obligation. Low scorers find contracts, rules, and regulations overly confining. They are likely to be seen as unreliable or even irresponsible. Your level of dutifulness is low.
        Achievement-Striving. Individuals who score high on this scale strive hard to achieve excellence. Their drive to be recognized as successful keeps them on track toward their lofty goals. They often have a strong sense of direction in life, but extremely high scores may be too single-minded and obsessed with their work. Low scorers are content to get by with a minimal amount of work, and might be seen by others as lazy. Your level of achievement striving is low.
        Self-Discipline. Self-discipline-what many people call will-power-refers to the ability to persist at difficult or unpleasant tasks until they are completed. People who possess high self-discipline are able to overcome reluctance to begin tasks and stay on track despite distractions. Those with low self-discipline procrastinate and show poor follow-through, often failing to complete tasks-even tasks they want very much to complete. Your level of self-discipline is low.
        Cautiousness. Cautiousness describes the disposition to think through possibilities before acting. High scorers on the Cautiousness scale take their time when making decisions. Low scorers often say or do first thing that comes to mind without deliberating alternatives and the probable consequences of those alternatives. Your level of cautiousness is average.
        Neuroticism
        Freud originally used the term neurosis to describe a condition marked by mental distress, emotional suffering, and an inability to cope effectively with the normal demands of life. He suggested that everyone shows some signs of neurosis, but that we differ in our degree of suffering and our specific symptoms of distress. Today neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings. Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions. People high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish a neurotic's ability to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress.
        At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low scorers experience a lot of positive feelings; frequency of positive emotions is a component of the Extraversion domain.
        
        DOMAIN/Facet	Score	
        NEUROTICISM	99	
        ..Anxiety	99	
        ..Anger	14	
        ..Depression	95	
        ..Self-Consciousness	98	
        ..Immoderation	99	
        ..Vulnerability	99	
        Your score on Neuroticism is high, indicating that you are easily upset, even by what most people consider the normal demands of living. People consider you to be sensitive and emotional.
        
        Neuroticism Facets
        Anxiety. The "fight-or-flight" system of the brain of anxious individuals is too easily and too often engaged. Therefore, people who are high in anxiety often feel like something dangerous is about to happen. They may be afraid of specific situations or be just generally fearful. They feel tense, jittery, and nervous. Persons low in Anxiety are generally calm and fearless. Your level of anxiety is high.
        Anger. Persons who score high in Anger feel enraged when things do not go their way. They are sensitive about being treated fairly and feel resentful and bitter when they feel they are being cheated. This scale measures the tendency to feel angry; whether or not the person expresses annoyance and hostility depends on the individual's level on Agreeableness. Low scorers do not get angry often or easily. Your level of anger is low.
        Depression. This scale measures the tendency to feel sad, dejected, and discouraged. High scorers lack energy and have difficult initiating activities. Low scorers tend to be free from these depressive feelings. Your level of depression is high.
        Self-Consciousness. Self-conscious individuals are sensitive about what others think of them. Their concern about rejection and ridicule cause them to feel shy and uncomfortable around others. They are easily embarrassed and often feel ashamed. Their fears that others will criticize or make fun of them are exaggerated and unrealistic, but their awkwardness and discomfort may make these fears a self-fulfilling prophecy. Low scorers, in contrast, do not suffer from the mistaken impression that everyone is watching and judging them. They do not feel nervous in social situations. Your level of self-consciousness is high.
        Immoderation. Immoderate individuals feel strong cravings and urges that they have have difficulty resisting. They tend to be oriented toward short-term pleasures and rewards rather than long- term consequences. Low scorers do not experience strong, irresistible cravings and consequently do not find themselves tempted to overindulge. Your level of immoderation is high.
        Vulnerability. High scorers on Vulnerability experience panic, confusion, and helplessness when under pressure or stress. Low scorers feel more poised, confident, and clear-thinking when stressed. Your level of vulnerability is high.
        Openness to Experience
        Openness to Experience describes a dimension of cognitive style that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. Open people are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed people, more aware of their feelings. They tend to think and act in individualistic and nonconforming ways. Intellectuals typically score high on Openness to Experience; consequently, this factor has also been called Culture or Intellect. Nonetheless, Intellect is probably best regarded as one aspect of openness to experience. Scores on Openness to Experience are only modestly related to years of education and scores on standard intelligent tests.
        Another characteristic of the open cognitive style is a facility for thinking in symbols and abstractions far removed from concrete experience. Depending on the individual's specific intellectual abilities, this symbolic cognition may take the form of mathematical, logical, or geometric thinking, artistic and metaphorical use of language, music composition or performance, or one of the many visual or performing arts. People with low scores on openness to experience tend to have narrow, common interests. They prefer the plain, straightforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may regard the arts and sciences with suspicion, regarding these endeavors as abstruse or of no practical use. Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.
        
        Openness is often presented as healthier or more mature by psychologists, who are often themselves open to experience. However, open and closed styles of thinking are useful in different environments. The intellectual style of the open person may serve a professor well, but research has shown that closed thinking is related to superior job performance in police work, sales, and a number of service occupations.
        
        DOMAIN/Facet	Score	
        OPENNESS	24	
        ..Imagination	89	
        ..Artistic Interests	31	
        ..Emotionality	1	
        ..Adventurousness	1	
        ..Intellect	59	
        ..Liberalism	99	
        Your score on Openness to Experience is low, indicating you like to think in plain and simple terms. Others describe you as down-to-earth, practical, and conservative.
        
        Openness Facets
        Imagination. To imaginative individuals, the real world is often too plain and ordinary. High scorers on this scale use fantasy as a way of creating a richer, more interesting world. Low scorers are on this scale are more oriented to facts than fantasy. Your level of imagination is high.
        Artistic Interests. High scorers on this scale love beauty, both in art and in nature. They become easily involved and absorbed in artistic and natural events. They are not necessarily artistically trained nor talented, although many will be. The defining features of this scale are interest in, and appreciation of natural and artificial beauty. Low scorers lack aesthetic sensitivity and interest in the arts. Your level of artistic interests is low.
        Emotionality. Persons high on Emotionality have good access to and awareness of their own feelings. Low scorers are less aware of their feelings and tend not to express their emotions openly. Your level of emotionality is low.
        Adventurousness. High scorers on adventurousness are eager to try new activities, travel to foreign lands, and experience different things. They find familiarity and routine boring, and will take a new route home just because it is different. Low scorers tend to feel uncomfortable with change and prefer familiar routines. Your level of adventurousness is low.
        Intellect. Intellect and artistic interests are the two most important, central aspects of openness to experience. High scorers on Intellect love to play with ideas. They are open-minded to new and unusual ideas, and like to debate intellectual issues. They enjoy riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers. Low scorers on Intellect prefer dealing with either people or things rather than ideas. They regard intellectual exercises as a waste of time. Intellect should not be equated with intelligence. Intellect is an intellectual style, not an intellectual ability, although high scorers on Intellect score slightly higher than low-Intellect individuals on standardized intelligence tests. Your level of intellect is average.
        Liberalism. Psychological liberalism refers to a readiness to challenge authority, convention, and traditional values. In its most extreme form, psychological liberalism can even represent outright hostility toward rules, sympathy for law-breakers, and love of ambiguity, chaos, and disorder. Psychological conservatives prefer the security and stability brought by conformity to tradition. Psychological liberalism and conservatism are not identical to political affiliation, but certainly incline individuals toward certain political parties. Your level of liberalism is high.
        
        5 votes
        1. [4]
          Icarus
          Link Parent
          Very interesting! Here are the summarized and slimmed down results from the book. They had a different scale so you will have to do some mental math. But a score of 3 should be 50 on your results....

          Very interesting!

          Here are the summarized and slimmed down results from the book. They had a different scale so you will have to do some mental math. But a score of 3 should be 50 on your results. Also, these are experts who are rating on how they believe psychopaths would answer.

          Extraversion Traits Psychopath Result on a scale of 1-5 Your score on a scale of 1-100
          Warmth 1.7 1
          Gregariousness 3.7 14
          Assertiveness 4.5 54
          Activity 3.7 1
          Excitement Seeking 4.7 10
          Positive Emotions 2.5 1
          Agreeableness Traits Psychopath Result on a scale of 1-5 Your score on a scale of 1-100
          Trust 1.7 51
          Straightforwardness 1.1 61
          Altruism 1.3 5
          Compliance 1.3 80
          Modesty 1.0 1
          Tender-Mindedness 1.3 21
          Conscientiousness Traits Psychopath Result on a scale of 1-5 Your score on a scale of 1-100
          Competence (Self-Efficacy) 4.2 1
          Order (Orderliness) 2.6 49
          Dutifulness 1.2 28
          Achievement Striving 3.1 1
          Self-Discipline 1.9 1
          Deliberation (Cautiousness) 1.6 38
          Neuroticism Traits Psychopath Result on a scale of 1-5 Your score on a scale of 1-100
          Anxiety 1.5 99
          Angry Hostility 3.9 14
          Depression 1.4 95
          Self-Consciousness 1.1 98
          Impulsiveness (Immoderation) 4.5 99
          Vulnerability 1.5 99
          Openness Traits Psychopath Result on a scale of 1-5 Your score on a scale of 1-100
          Fantasy (Imagination) 3.1 89
          Aesthetics (Artistic Interests) 2.3 31
          Feelings (Emotionality) 1.8 1
          Actions (Adventurousness) 4.3 1
          Ideas (Intellect) 3.5 59
          Values (Liberalism) 2.9 99

          My takeaway is that you are very likely not a psychopath. The author builds the following profile:

          As we can see, the experts have the psychopaths just about flatlining when it comes to Agreeableness, which is not surprising given that lying, manipulation, callousness, and arrogance are pretty much considered the gold standard of psychopathic traits by most clinicians. Conscientiousness ratings are nothing to write home about either. Impulsivity, lack of long-term goals, and failure to take responsibility are up there, as we’d expect. But notice how Competence bucks the trend—a measure of the psychopath’s unshakable self-confidence and insouciant disregard for adversity—and how the pattern continues with Neuroticism: Anxiety, Depression, Self-Consciousness and Vulnerability barely show up on the radar, which, when combined with strong outputs on Extraversion (Assertiveness and Excitement Seeking) and Openness to Experience (Actions), generates that air of raw, elemental charisma. The picture that emerges is of a profoundly potent, yet darkly quicksilver personality. Dazzling and remorseless on the one hand. Glacial and unpredictable on the other.

          Back in 2018, several of us took the same personality test. Maybe time for us to do another round?

          https://tildes.net/~misc/5nr/lets_take_a_personality_test

          7 votes
          1. [3]
            mrbig
            Link Parent
            It is certainly nice to know I'm not a psychopath, that is not a nice accusation to receive. My whole life I was reprimanded for not displaying enough emotion. It's kinda funny, but I'm certain...

            It is certainly nice to know I'm not a psychopath, that is not a nice accusation to receive. My whole life I was reprimanded for not displaying enough emotion. It's kinda funny, but I'm certain that's an accusation that is more common here (Brazil) than in Scandinavia. Our culture is extroverted to the point of histrionic.

            5 votes
            1. [2]
              wervenyt
              Link Parent
              My life story and Big Five results are extremely distinct from yours, but I was similarly labelled a psychopath many times growing up. At this point, I have a hard time conceiving of it as...

              My life story and Big Five results are extremely distinct from yours, but I was similarly labelled a psychopath many times growing up. At this point, I have a hard time conceiving of it as anything but an academically veiled euphemism for "we can disregard this person's humanity".

              The model psychopath doesn't just not care about others' emotions, he (because the psychopath is decidedly a masculine stereotype) is incapable of relating to others from birth. He doesn't view people as anything but a means to an end, and if he can't even care about other people, why feel bad about giving up on relating to him? Hell, he's so calculatingly inhuman, the human race might be better off without him. He's clearly so smart, untarnished by those pesky emotions the rest of us are so burdened with, he must be held fully accountable for his actions, no pussyfooting around it. He must die, to protect the rest of us, good, people!

              Just from our scant interactions on this site, clearly you're nothing like that. I'm really sorry that you've had to deal with such a heavy, toxic stigma for what sounds like the majority of your life.

              6 votes
              1. mrbig
                (edited )
                Link Parent
                I suppose for some people being overtly rational, measured and unemotional is equivalent to being immoral. I understand that others have a right to express their emotions, but some of us require a...

                I suppose for some people being overtly rational, measured and unemotional is equivalent to being immoral. I understand that others have a right to express their emotions, but some of us require a lot more conscious thought in order to function as human beings. And that is fine too. This actually goes way further than just calling me a "psychopath".

                No, I'm not constrained. I'm not dying to express myself, I'm not sad because I'm not dancing or jumping around. I like being quiet, just let me be...

                5 votes
  3. PhantomBand
    Link
    No, but sometimes when I think about it I'm kinda paranoid that I'll ever run into one. Are there any easy ways to tell if someone's a psychopath if you've just met them?

    No, but sometimes when I think about it I'm kinda paranoid that I'll ever run into one. Are there any easy ways to tell if someone's a psychopath if you've just met them?

    2 votes
  4. tomf
    Link
    For anyone interested in this sort of thing who can also handle disturbing stories, Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us by Robert D. Hare is great. Hare developed...

    For anyone interested in this sort of thing who can also handle disturbing stories, Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us by Robert D. Hare is great. Hare developed the psychopathy test. Another good read is The Psychopath Test from Jon Ronson -- which relates to the first, but you don't need either to understand the other.

    2 votes