It is difficult to identify a psychopath, he is calculating, smart and resourceful. He has several masks in his pocket and wears a suitable one for the occasion. However, there are certain patterns of behavior that make it possible to recognize such a person through close interaction. It is difficult for this person to understand why other people can experience feelings and emotions, why they are hurt by someone's words and actions. Lack of empathy can manifest itself through certain signs, for example, an addiction to alcohol. The psychopaths' quirks below are scientifically based.
They are immune to yawning
It is generally accepted in the scientific world that there are more psychopaths among men than among women. We now also know that these dangerous individuals are immune to the stimuli of yawning. And this data is based on the results of one curious scientific study. First, the researchers selected 135 undergraduates for a questionnaire, which includes an assessment of psychopathic traits.
The participants were then asked to watch three videos in random order. In one video, there was a person with a neutral expression in the frame, in another - happy and smiling, and in the third - yawning. While the participants watched the video, the researchers closely monitored their reactions. Their goal was to determine how often people responded when they saw yawns.
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Curious results
As a result, the results of the survey revealed an interesting trend. Participants with the highest score on the Psychopathic Trait Scale were the least likely to exhibit contagious facial muscle activity. It is worth noting that most of us fall prey to a response reflex at the sight of a yawning person from the heart. Psychologists note that insincerity, selfishness, self-confidence and inattention can be distinguished among the most remarkable traits of a psychopath. The lack of responsiveness to yawning is rooted in a lack of empathy. And this is only one part of the complete picture of the personality characteristics of our heroes. If your close friend or relative is “suspicious,” you can match two other traits that even more clearly indicate a psychopathic personality.
They take a lot of selfies
Another scientific study revealed another curious trend. Male psychopaths tend to be interested in more selfies. Thus, excessive activity on social media and narcissism can become a kind of litmus test. Be wary if you see a person in front of you who is preoccupied with their own images. In that study, researchers looked at the relationship between male personality traits and how participants present themselves on social media. To do this, Ohio State University staff studied the behavior of 800 men in the age group from 18 to 40 years.
Questionnaire questions
A representative sample was made to identify habits related to the so-called dark triad of personality: narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Participants were asked the following questions: How attractive do they consider themselves? How often do they want others to pay attention to them? Are they concerned about moral principles? Do they tend to manipulate other people? Then the respondents were asked how often they use social media to send information about themselves, how often they post selfies and whether they edit photos before sending them to the news feed.
As a result, it turned out that men who rate themselves on the basis of appearance, rather than internal qualities, spend more time on social media. They are busy with self-esteem and tend to post selfies more often. Before narcissists post their photos on social media pages, they spend a few minutes editing. It is worth noting that the “subclinical” level of narcissism is not itself a mental illness. But narcissism can be traced in one way or another in each of the personalities of the dark triad. As in the previous study, the men who send the most selfies to their friends and followers have the most psychopathic traits.
Passion for black coffee
The final feature of the psychopath must be observed with knowledge of his dietary habits. Some people deliberately eliminate dairy products from their diet due to lactose intolerance. But if this person drinks milk, but prefers black coffee, he may also have psychopathic tendencies. Researchers from the University of Innsbruck (Austria) studied the habits of almost one thousand people. Individuals who prefer bitter foods and beverages (including black coffee) have been found to be more prone to manifestations of Machiavellianism, narcissism, everyday sadism, and psychopathy.