Psychopaths do not look like movie villains, they could be next to you: 5 subtle signs psychologists say can reveal psychopathic traits

Psychopaths are often shown in films as violent, frightening people who immediately stand out from a crowd. Real life can be much less obvious. Some people with psychopathic traits may appear charming, confident or completely ordinary, which is why psychologists say behaviour over time matters far more than a person's appearance.

Dr Leanne ten Brinke, an associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, recently discussed psychopathy and deception on Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO podcast. She explained that people can sometimes pick up a small clue about psychopathic traits within just a few seconds.

"Most people think a psychopath looks dangerous, they picture the villain in a movie, but that's not how it works in real life," she said.

Why psychopathy can be difficult to spot

Psychopathy is not something that can be reliably diagnosed by looking at someone's face or noticing one unusual habit. The American Psychological Association has described psychopathic traits as including low empathy and remorse, grandiosity, impulsivity and, in some cases, aggressive behaviour.

Research also suggests that psychopathy exists on a spectrum and is not limited to people who commit serious crimes. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies involving 11,497 adults estimated psychopathy at 4.5% across the general population, although the figure fell to 1.2% when researchers used the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, a widely used assessment tool.

So, what might make someone stand out?

5 subtle signs psychologists have studied

1. A smile that does not quite reach the eyes

Ten Brinke discussed research into so-called Duchenne smiles, where genuine smiling is associated with movement around the eyes. In the research she described, people with higher levels of dark personality traits showed genuine-looking smiles while saying hostile things. She said the difference could involve the activation around the eyes, including the appearance of crow's feet.

2. A mismatch between words and facial expressions

Someone may say something hostile or disturbing while displaying an unusually happy-looking expression. Ten Brinke said people with higher levels of psychopathic traits in the research showed this kind of mismatch.

"People who were high in these psychopathic personality traits, they were showing very happy looking smiles, as they were saying really hostile things," she explained.

That does not mean every unusual smile is a warning sign. Facial expressions can vary for many ordinary reasons.

3. Very strong charm on first meeting

Superficial charm is often discussed alongside psychopathic traits. A person may quickly appear confident, entertaining and likeable, but the more useful question is how they behave once the first impression wears off.

Former FBI special agent Joe Navarro made a similar point when discussing whether psychopaths can be identified, as per LADBible Stories.

"Now, you really have to observe their behaviours and how they treat others and how they view others and whether or not they have a conscience."

4. Little genuine guilt after hurting someone

A lack of emotional accountability can be another important clue. Psychologist Emma Kenny previously told Tyla that a person with strong psychopathic traits may hurt or exploit others without showing genuine guilt.

"A person with strong psychopathic traits may hurt, exploit, betray, or humiliate others, yet show little genuine guilt. They may apologise when it benefits them, but the apology often feels strategic rather than sincere."

5. Manipulation and repeated disregard for others

Manipulative behaviour, low empathy and a pattern of disregarding other people's feelings are more meaningful than one isolated incident. Navarro also stressed that behaviour and the way someone treats others need to be observed before drawing conclusions.

One sign is never enough

Research by Scott Lilienfeld and colleagues found that observers could make moderately accurate assessments of psychopathic traits from very short clips of behaviour, including five-second clips. But that does not mean someone can be labelled a psychopath after watching them for five seconds.

Psychopathy is assessed using established methods and a much wider picture of a person's behaviour. A strange smile, intense charm or an insensitive comment on its own cannot establish that someone is a psychopath.

The bigger warning, experts suggest, is a repeated pattern: manipulation, lack of remorse, low empathy and the way a person consistently treats people around them. That is much more useful than trying to identify a movie-style villain in everyday life.