Most mental health professionals define a psychopath as a predator who takes advantage of others using charm, deceit, violence and other methods to get what they want. You can identify a psychopath by using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist and trusting your own intuition.

 

Number 1 – Look for glib and superficial charm. A psychopath will put on what professionals refer to as a "mask" of normality that is likable and pleasant. For example, the psychopath may do good deeds to gain his or her victim's trust.

Number 2 – Look for a grandiose self-perception. Psychopaths will often believe they are smarter or more powerful than they actually are. 

 

Number 3 – Watch for a constant need for stimulation. Stillness, quiet and reflection are not things embraced by psychopaths. They need constant entertainment and activity. 

 

Number 4 – Determine if there is pathological lying. A psychopath will tell all sorts of lies, little white lies as well as huge stories intended to mislead. 

 

Number 5 – Evaluate the level of manipulation. Psychopaths are identified as cunning and able to get people to do things they might not normally do. They can use guilt, force and other methods to manipulate. 

 

Number 6 – Look for any feelings of guilt. An absence of any guilt or remorse is a sign of psychopathy. Psychopaths cannot feel guilty.

 

Number 8 – Look for a lack of sympathy and compassion. Psychopaths are callous and cannot naturally relate to non-psychopaths.

 

Number 9 – Take a look at the person's lifestyle. Psychopaths are often parasitic, meaning they live off other people. They will use others to gain power and resources, and may enter their lives quickly and easily.

 

Number 10 – Observe the person's behavior. The Hare Checklist includes behavioral indicators such as the following: poor behavior control, sexual promiscuity, and early behavior problems. 

 

Number 11 – Talk about goals. Psychopaths have unrealistic goals for the long term. Either there are no goals at all, or they are unattainable and based on the exaggerated sense of one's own accomplishments and abilities. 

 

Number 12 – Look at whether the person is impulsive or irresponsible. Both of those characteristics are evidence of psychopathy. 

 

Number 13 – Consider whether the person cannot accept responsibility. A psychopath will never admit to being wrong or owning up to mistakes and errors in judgment. When pressed, they may admit to making a mistake, but manipulate others so as to avoid any consequences. 

 

Number 14 – Examine marital relationships. Some psychopaths have many short-term marriages. They will blame marital problems on their ex-spouses, and never suggest that they played a role in the marriage's failure. 

 

Number 15 – Look for a history of juvenile delinquency. Psychopaths tend to exhibit delinquent behaviors in their youth, including aggressive behaviors towards others. 

 

Number 16 – Check for criminal versatility. Psychopaths may commit many types of offenses, and while they might sometimes get caught, the ability to be flexible and get away with committing crimes is an indicator. 

 

Number 17 – Check out if a person makes constant use of "the poor fellow's imagery". Psychopaths are experts at manipulating our emotions and insecurities into causing us to view them as "poor injusticed fellows", thus lowering our sentimental guard and rendering us vulnerable for future exploitation. If this psychological resource is continually combined with unacceptable and evil actions, this equals a powerful alert sign about the person's real nature. 

 

Number 18 – Pay close attention to the person's treatment towards those whom they don't consider beneficial. Psychopaths may belittle, humiliate, mistreat, mock, and attack physically (or even kill, in extreme cases) those whom they do not consider useful or who get in their way, such as subordinates, the physically disabled, those of low socioeconomic status, elderly people, children, and even animals.

 

 

Thanks for listening. I’m Scott Teeters and I’ll be back with more, Far Out Radio.