Am I a Psychopath?

Take a closer look are your thoughts and feelings with this quiz.

Psychopathy is a condition defined by a lack of empathy, a callous nature, and a sense of emotional disconnect from others. With such an intimidating word making the rounds in casual conversation, it’s easy for your mind to start asking some scary questions, like Could I be a psychopath?

We’ll let you in on a little secret: everyone has negative, less-than-ideal thoughts and feelings sometimes. It’s just a part of being human, and has nothing to do with being a psychopath. Still, if you’d like a little extra reassurance, we have you covered. Hit “Start Quiz” and respond to the following statements to shed a little extra light on how you think and feel.

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Questions Overview

1. Pick the statement you relate to most:
  1. I care a lot about my friends and loved ones.
  2. I feel frustrated by friends and loved ones sometimes.
  3. I don't care at all about anyone in my life.
  4. I don’t relate to any of these statements.
2. Pick the statement you relate to most:
  1. I don't like lying to others, especially my friends. It eats me up inside.
  2. I’ll only lie if I feel like I have no other choice.
  3. I love lying. It’s an easy way to get what I want, and I don't feel guilty about it.
  4. I don’t identify with any of these statements.
3. Pick the statement you relate to most:
  1. I take care of myself, but I also really highly prioritize my loved ones.
  2. I can be a little selfish sometimes.
  3. I don't care about anyone else. I only care about me (so I'm always my first priority).
  4. I can’t see myself saying any of these things.
4. My friend is grieving a death in their family, but I don’t care.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
5. My friend blames me for “sharing a really important secret,” but I don't feel guilty.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
6. I can’t stand long heart-to-hearts. I hate having to pretend that I care about other people’s feelings.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
7. I enjoy manipulating my friends to get what I want. It’s not like they’ll ever know, so I won't have to answer for it.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
8. It’s basically impossible for me to imagine what someone else is going through. Why should I even have to, anyway?
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
9. I ended up hurting my friend’s feelings, but I don’t really care. They should have thicker skin.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
10. I do super risky, dangerous things constantly. I'm not sure why I do, but it gets me into trouble.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
11. If I thought it would work, I would enjoy tricking a close friend into giving me their most valuable possession.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.
12. I love dominate other people when I get the chance. Whenever I have the opportunity to grab control over others, I take it.
  1. Strongly disagree.
  2. Disagree.
  3. Strongly agree.
  4. I’m neutral.

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opposite<\/i> of a psychopath. You\u2019re full of empathy, you care deeply about others, and you feel deeply connected to the friends and loved ones in your life. While only a mental health professional can provide true commentary on your mental and emotional well-being, it sounds like you\u2019re taking all the right steps to reflect on and analyze your life experiences.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Identify-a-Psychopath"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How Do You Spot a Psychopath? Meaning, Causes, & More","id":2723283,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Identify-a-Psychopath","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5b\/Identify-a-Psychopath-Step-18.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Identify-a-Psychopath-Step-18.jpg","alt":"How Do You Spot a Psychopath? Meaning, Causes, & More"},{"title":"What is Dark Psychology?","id":14176183,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg","alt":"What is Dark Psychology?"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":2,"text":"You\u2019re totally normal!","meaning":"Great news! Based on your answers, you don\u2019t seem to have any significant psychopathic traits. Sure, you may experience some pretty negative thoughts and feelings from time to time, but who doesn\u2019t? While only a mental health professional can provide true commentary on your mental and emotional well-being, it sounds like you\u2019re taking all the right steps to reflect on and analyze your life experiences.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Identify-a-Psychopath"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How Do You Spot a Psychopath? Meaning, Causes, & More","id":2723283,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Identify-a-Psychopath","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5b\/Identify-a-Psychopath-Step-18.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Identify-a-Psychopath-Step-18.jpg","alt":"How Do You Spot a Psychopath? Meaning, Causes, & More"},{"title":"What is Dark Psychology?","id":14176183,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg","alt":"What is Dark Psychology?"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":3,"text":"You may have some psychopathic traits, but\u2026","meaning":"\u2026there\u2019s no need to stress! Having negative thoughts and feelings definitely doesn\u2019t automatically make you a psychopath. The fact that you took the initiative in taking this quiz shows a lot of honesty, responsibility, and humility\u2014qualities that psychopaths don\u2019t have. What matters is that you\u2019re paying attention to what you\u2019re thinking and feeling, and it sounds like you\u2019re doing just that!

If you\u2019re truly worried about your mental and emotional well-being, though, there\u2019s no harm in meeting with a mental health professional to talk more. By sharing your experiences with a professional, you\u2019ll be empowered with expert knowledge, support, and advice. And if there\u2019s a label for your experience that might help you better navigate the world, they can help you find that, too. Check out these guides below for more help getting started.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Talk-to-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Open Up to Your Therapist When You're Not Sure What to Say","id":8098935,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Talk-to-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/46\/Communicate-Effectively-Step-23-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Communicate-Effectively-Step-23-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Open Up to Your Therapist When You're Not Sure What to Say"},{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":4,"text":"Whoops! It looks like you picked all neutral answers.","meaning":"You don\u2019t seem to have any psychopathic traits, but you sure are indecisive! That\u2019s totally fine, but we\u2019ll need a little more info to give you an accurate result. Feel free to give this quiz another try and see what you get!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Decisions"}],"link_data":[{"title":"What is Dark Psychology?","id":14176183,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Psychology","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Dark-Psychology-Step-13.jpg","alt":"What is Dark Psychology?"},{"title":"Decision Making 101: A Simple Guide","id":59701,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Decisions","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Make-Decisions-Step-8-Version-4.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-Decisions-Step-8-Version-4.jpg.png","alt":"Decision Making 101: A Simple Guide"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Sociopath<\/picture>","alt":"Sociopath Test"},{"title":"Covert Narcissist Test","id":14009209,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Covert-Narcissist-Test","image":"\"Covert<\/picture>","alt":"Covert Narcissist Test"},{"title":"Dark Triad Quiz","id":14300733,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dark-Triad-Quiz","image":"\"Dark<\/picture>","alt":"Dark Triad Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"Nah\u2014gimme something light-hearted and fun.","result":"No problem! Try out these quizzes you might like:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"What's My Bending Element Quiz","id":14277767,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Avatar-the-Last-Airbender-Quiz","image":"\"Avatar<\/picture>","alt":"What's My Bending Element Quiz"},{"title":"What Animal Am I Quiz","id":14254121,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/What-Animal-Am-I","image":"\"What<\/picture>","alt":"What Animal Am I Quiz"},{"title":"Who Is My Godly Parent Quiz","id":14179314,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Godly-Parent-Quiz","image":"\"Godly<\/picture>","alt":"Who Is My Godly Parent Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

All About Psychopathy

The word “psychopath” has made its way into casual conversations, becoming shorthand for a “terrible and awful person.” But what does this term actually mean?

What is a psychopath?
A psychopath is a manipulative and callous person who’s unable to feel empathy for others, and who is emotionally detached from the people around them. If you look in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), or the official psychiatric handbook used to classify and diagnose mental health conditions, you won’t find psychopathy listed—but that doesn’t make it any less real. During the 1970s, in fact, psychologist Robert Hare developed a test to help spot people with psychopathic behavior (that’s still used today).

What are common traits of psychopaths?

  • Little empathy: Empathy is all about putting yourself in another person’s shoes and really trying to understand their feelings and experiences. Psychopaths don’t typically have a lot of empathy and may struggle to emotionally connect with others.
  • Frequent lying: Psychopaths have no qualms about bending (or breaking) the truth to suit their needs. Instead, they focus more on doing whatever it takes to get their way.
  • Little moral compass: Many people have some sort of “moral compass,” or an internalized sense of right and wrong that they follow through life. Psychopaths often lack such a compass and don’t tend to operate on a sense of good and bad.
  • Narcissistic qualities: Narcissism and psychopathy are entirely separate conditions, but psychopaths can definitely adopt some narcissistic traits, like a fake sense of grandeur, manipulativeness, selfishness, and more.
  • Gaslighting: Gaslighting is a type of emotional abuse where Person A makes Person B question their reality. Psychopaths often have no problem using this technique to control others and advance their own agenda.
  • Little remorse: Just as psychopaths tend to lack a moral compass, they’re also unable to feel genuinely sorry about the way their actions impact others. If anything, they often try to play the victim when they’re accused of something.

Are all psychopaths criminals?
Not necessarily! While psychopaths sometimes take a criminal path, not all psychopaths end up on a violent or otherwise troubling road in life.

I’m worried I could be a psychopath. What should I do?
Bring your concerns to a psychiatrist. A licensed mental health professional like a psychiatrist can accurately weigh your symptoms, diagnose you properly, and help you figure out your next steps. Chances are, though, you’re likely not a psychopath if you’re genuinely concerned about your capacity to hurt others.

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