Think you have to be a murderous flesh-eating carnivore to be considered a psychopath? Think again. Psychopaths are actually more regularly categorized by their mental state than by their prior physical actions . Dr. Kevin Dutton, a research specialist at Oxford University, defines a psychopath as “someone with a distinct cluster of personality traits, including charm, charisma, fearlessness, ruthlessness, narcissism, persuasiveness, and lack of conscience.”
Using D. Dutton’s own set of questions, we’ve set up a numbers-based psychopathy test that will allow you to evaluate where YOU stand on the psychopath spectrum. While answering each question, take notice the point value given to your answer: add up your points as the test moves along, and find your results at the end!
May the odds be ever in your favour ????
1. It doesn’t matter to me if I have to step on other people to get what I want.
2. Thrill-seeking events, like rollercoasters and skydiving, appeal to me.
3. Cheating on your partner is OK so long as you don’t get caught.
4. I’m very persuasive. I have a talent for getting other people to do what I want.
5. I find myself unaffected by tragic events in the news.
Results!
5-8: Angel Status:
Not only do you not have any psychopathic tendencies, your mind is almost robotically ethical; you examine each and every decision with calm, complete thought. May be time to loosen up a bit!
8-13: Normal Psychopathy
You fall in the normal or average part of the spectrum, along with the vast majority of people in the UK. You’re very composed for the most part, but your mind can sometimes lead to a frightening place in special circumstances.
14-17: Above Average Psychopathy
Your mental scale may be a bit off: you certainly seek thrill and may pass some moral boundaries to get what you want. That being said, you still have the general ability to control yourself in most settings and do not pose a giant threat to society.
18-20: Get Help.
You are definitely a threat to yourself and society; you share almost all the common traits as famous psychopaths; lack of empathy, distaste for other humans, persuasiveness, and adrenaline-loving. It may be time to speak to someone about these worrying characteristics.
Interested in psychopaths in general? Join London’s most exciting talk on the subject here, where Psychotherapist Jennifer Rees will discuss the neuroscience behind the condition, including how the psychopathic brain functions.