Psychopaths are dangerously hard to spot (Picture Getty)

Psychopathy is a personality disorder with a wide range of characteristics that suggest a person could suffer from it, some quite clear, others not so.

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Spotting a psychopath is not easy, as they are usually very manipulative they can appear normal and keep up a superficial charm that easily fool people.

There are an estimated 300,000-400,000 living in the UK so chances are you will come into contact with someone classified as a psychopath at some point in your life.

A psychopath lacks conscience, guilt and empathy which makes them manipulative, volatile and sometimes criminal, a psychopath is a pathological liar, has a grandiose sense of self worth, no regard for law and order and has shallow emotions.




Psychopathy is a spectrum disorder meaning it is a mental disorder that includes a range of linked conditions.

Psychopaths are not always criminals but they are manipulative and lack empathy and guilt (Picture: Lions Gate Films)

The disorder is diagnosed using the 20-item Hare Psychopathy Checklist, which is a list of typical psychopath traits and a qualified examiner will rate a person’s symptoms of psychopathy against the list of traits.

Each of the traits is rated 0, 1 or 2, a score of 30 or above diagnoses someone as a psychopath.

The 20-items on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist glib and superficial charm

grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self

need for stimulation

pathological lying

cunning and manipulativeness

lack of remorse or guilt

superficial expression of emotion

callousness and lack of empathy

parasitic lifestyle

poor behavioural controls

sexual promiscuity

early behaviour problems

lack of realistic long-term goals

impulsive

irresponsibility

failure to accept responsibility for own actions

many short-term marital relationships

juvenile delinquency

revocation of conditional release

criminal versatility



A psychopath will often have a distinguished brain anatomy making it easier to tell they have the personality disorder (Picture: Getty)

What can make someone a psychopath?

A person’s brain anatomy, their genetics, their environment may all contribute to the development of psychopathic traits in a person.

If, because of someone’s genetic makeup, they are predisposed to developing psychopathy they may not actually become a diagnosed psychopath if their environmental factors don’t trigger them throughout their life.

A child who shows a predisposition to psychopathic traits can be treated to make sure they do not develop into a psychopath.

What is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?

A sociopath refers to a person who has antisocial tendencies attributed to social or environmental factors, whereas a psychopath refers to a person who has antisocial tendencies attributed to psychological, biological and genetic factors as well as environmental factors causing their disorder.

Psychologist Uta Frith will present an in-depth exploration of the psychopathic mind, studying the mind of the Moors murderer Ian Brady, in the Horizon documentary on BBC Two Tuesday, 29 August at 9pm.

MORE: How to tell if you are dating a psychopath

MORE: Systemic psychotherapy: What is it? And what is it like to do it?

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