Psychopathy

New neuroimaging research indicates that individuals with higher levels of antisocial personality traits show weaker brain responses to looming angry faces. The findings may help explain why some people fail to recognize or respond appropriately to social threats.

New research finds that men high in psychopathy and sexual desire, and women who are less picky with matches, report more sexual encounters via Tinder. The findings suggest dating apps favor fast, opportunistic mating strategies shaped by personality.

Researchers used high-resolution brain imaging to investigate psychopathy’s neural basis, finding widespread structural differences in men with high psychopathy scores, particularly in frontal-subcortical circuits linked to impulse regulation, decision-making, and behavioral control.

A nationwide Swedish study finds most women who commit lethal violence act in emotionally charged situations, with low psychopathy scores and little planning. Severe mental disorders were linked to a more complex blend of reactive and instrumental features.

Psychologists are learning that psychopathic traits can be subtle, widespread, and surprisingly influential. These 11 studies offer a science-backed glimpse into how callousness, impulsivity, and emotional detachment shape everything from romantic behavior to mortality risk and facial emotion processing.

Researchers found that narcissists and psychopaths score lower on emotional intelligence—if measured with objective tasks. But when asked to self-rate their emotional skills, narcissists gave themselves higher marks. The findings highlight key differences in how personality shapes self-perception.

A new study finds that people with low emotional awareness tend to make more utilitarian moral decisions—but only when psychopathic traits are also present. The findings reveal how emotional detachment and empathy deficits interact in shaping difficult moral choices.

Researchers used structural brain imaging to explore how psychopathy is linked to externalizing behaviors. The study found that variations in brain connectivity—especially in emotion and attention networks—may help explain why some individuals with psychopathic traits engage in antisocial behavior.

Psychopathic traits alone don’t always lead to serious offending—but when combined with weak self-regulation, they may significantly raise the risk. A new study reveals how these factors interact to shape property crime patterns in adolescents already involved in the justice...

What if the roots of psychopathy could be traced in our blood? New research is looking beyond psychology and into our endocrine system. A new study suggests hormones like cortisol and testosterone may hold important clues to a person's manipulative...

A long-term study of incarcerated teens has found that psychopathic personality traits are linked to a greater risk of dying young. The findings suggest these traits may be more predictive of premature mortality than conduct disorder or substance use.

A new study shows that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are less likely to punish unfair behavior, especially when it costs them personally. The research suggests self-interest, not a lack of moral understanding, drives their reluctance to enforce social norms.

A new study suggests that people who are more resilient are less likely to develop psychopathic traits after experiencing childhood trauma. The findings highlight the protective role of resilience and its potential for reducing harmful personality patterns later in life.

Researchers found that voters’ authoritarian tendencies influenced how they judged the psychopathic traits of 2016 presidential candidates. Those high in authoritarianism were more likely to view Trump favorably and Clinton as psychologically disordered—and vice versa.