Revealed: The key sign that indicates you might be a PSYCHOPATH
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Even for expert psychologists, spotting a psychopath isn't always easy. But now scientists have found one key sign which could show whether someone has psychopathic tendencies. In bad news for bachelors, researchers from the University of Turin found that being single was associated with higher levels of psychopathic traits.
![[Researchers from the University of Turin found that people who are single scored higher for the 'Dark Triad' personality traits of psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/16/93712371-14247483-image-a-17_1735920073082.jpg)
In experiments, singletons scored higher for psychopathic and 'Machiavellian' traits, meaning they're sneaky or cunning. On the other hand, people who were married or cohabiting with their partners scored lower for these negative traits. Lead researcher Dr Sara Veggi says: 'This suggests that certain personality characteristics and love attitudes might predispose individuals towards relationship stability or singlehood.'.
![[Participants who were married or cohabitating with their partners were found to score lower for Dark Triad traits. However, people who scored highly for narcissism were more likely to get into relationships because of their increased charm and confidence (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/16/93712369-14247483-image-a-16_1735920063970.jpg)
However, the researchers also found that people who scored highly for narcissism, another 'Dark Triad' trait, were more likely to get into relationships. Dark Triad is a name given to three personality traits – narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism, all embodied by Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.
![[The researchers found that singletons had love attitudes which favoured a playful or friendship-based form of love. Previous studies have shown that love for friends activates different regions of the brain to the romantic love for a partner (pictured)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/16/88979879-14247483-Researchers_have_mapped_the_activation_of_the_brain_while_it_exp-a-19_1735920515751.jpg)
Scientists say they have now found one trait which could tell you if someone is a psychopath like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (pictured). For the study, Dr Veggi and her colleagues surveyed 1,101 adults with an average age of 41 between July and October 2023.
![[The study also found that men were more likely to favour a style of love which emphasised a playful attitude towards relationships. As previous studies have suggested, this could mean that women are more interested in committed relationships than men]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/16/78918807-14247483-It_s_a_question_that_has_puzzled_men_for_centuries_what_do_women-a-18_1735920403684.jpg)
Each participant was asked about their current relationship status and underwent a range of psychological tests. In the first analysis, the participants were tested for each of the three 'Dark Triad' traits – psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.
![[Psychopaths display different traits depending on their disorder, but common signs include superficial charm and the ability to manipulate others. Despite the popular association, not all psychopaths become killers (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/04/11/3FEE81D300000578-0-image-a-20_1493893799249.jpg)
