3 Hidden Signs That Someone is a Psychopath

There are three tell-tale signs of a psychopath | Source: iStock

It’s difficult to definitively label someone as a psychopath; however, there are certain behaviors that may indicate someone is one. A psychopath, by definition, has a difficult time understanding why people have feelings, and this lack of empathy can be spotted in several of
the least obvious ways, including the types of drinks someone orders. The following scientifically based quirks could be a warning that someone exhibits psychopathic behaviors, and interestingly, men are more likely to be psychopaths. Now that you know this, here are three things to watch out for if you suspect someone of being a little off.

1. They’re immune to yawning stimuli

According to a study that was published in the journal Individual and Personality Differences, researchers gave 135 undergraduates the task of completing a questionnaire meant to assess the participants levels of psychopathic traits. Afterwards, the participants were given three videos to watch in a random order — one had a person with a neutral face, one was of a person laughing, and the third was of a person yawning. While the participants watched the videos, the researchers closely monitored their faces, looking for minute facial muscle activity.
The results of the survey showed something very interesting: The participants who scored higher on the psychopathy-related reality trait of coldheartedness (which Refinery29 describes as an”emotional detachment combined with an overall disagreeable disposition”) were less likely to be affected by the contagious yawning stimuli that most of us fall prey to when we see another person yawn.
Psychology Today notes that people who rate highly on psychopathic traits tend to be insincere, selfish, overconfident, and uncaring. The response (or lack of response) to connect when watching a person yawn, by responding back, seems to fall within the psychopathic personality trait of lacking empathy, which is just one piece to the entire picture. If you’re interested in testing out someone’s coldheartedness or have a sneaking suspicious about their personality, you might want to try yawning in front of them — or you can take a look on their Instagram and count the amount of selfies they’ve posted. Which brings us to the next fact about psychopaths….

2. They tend to take a lot of selfies

Psychopaths are more likely to take selfies and spend time editing them | Source: iStock

Besides their inability to return a yawn, research suggests that men who post a lot of selfies can be indicative of a disturbing personality trait, sending red flags out through social media. In a study published in Personality and Individual Differences, researchers took a look at a link between men’s personality traits and how they present themselves on social media. The Ohio State University researchers surveyed 800 men between the ages of 18 and 40, a nationally-representative sample, with the purpose of testing selfie-taking habits in relation to “men’s functional levels of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy” — the three traits are collectively known as the “Dark Triad,” which has become a new focus of personality psychology.
The survey focused on personalities, asking them questions such as how attractive they considered themselves, how much they desired others to pay attention to them, how concerned they were with morality, and whether they had an affinity toward manipulating people. The participants were then asked about the frequency of their social media usage; for instance, how often they posted pictures and the degree to which they would edit their photos before posting them.
The survey found that those men who showed high levels of self-objectification (or who valued themselves solely based on appearance) and narcissism spent greater amounts of time on social media and networking sites. Further, the researchers found that men who were more narcissistic and psychopathic were more likely to post selfies more frequently. Also, the researchers discovered that men who were more prone to narcissism and self-objectification were more likely to edit their posted photos the most. To note, these levels of narcissism are “subclinical” and would not in and of themselves constitute someone as having a full-blown psychopathic disorder, rather it was the traits that qualify as such that were present.
As with the previous study, men who post a lot of selfies possess a key aspect of psychopathy: They’re less empathetic and tend to think higher of themselves. Duly noted.
Finally, you can spot a psychopath if you’re in line listening to their coffee order and …

3. They order black coffee

A study found that people who prefer bitter foods were more likely to display characteristics of psychopathy | Source: iStock

This one can easily be confused with someone who just wants to cut out dairy and sugar from their diet. A study published in the journal Appetite suggests that if you tend to prefer your coffee black then you may have psychopathic tendencies. The study of almost 1,000 people, which was conducted by Innsbruck University in Austria, found that those who preferred bitter foods and beverages where more likely, as in the past two studies, to display characteristics of  “Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, and everyday sadism.” The list of other bitter foods included in the study were radishes, celery, and tonic water.
It should be noted though that the answers were self-reported by the subjects. Beware of those coffee orders next time you’re at Starbucks, because trouble might be a-brewin’.

 Do these traits really determine if someone may be a psychopath? what do you think? share your thoughts.