How to Spot a Psychopath?

Having a wider face has been linked with higher levels of attraction and aggression, and now research has suggested it may also be a sign of psychopathy.

A study of students and prison inmates found that men with a higher facial width-to-height ratio were more likely to exhibit what’s known as ‘self-centred impulsivity’.

They also showed signs of ‘fearless dominance’ as well as a tendency to blame other people for problems.

Self-centred impulsivity is a category of traits including Machiavellian egocentricity and is the tendency to consider only personal needs, with a disregard for the interests of anyone else.

Those high in self-centred impulsivity also tend to neglect the social norms and regulations that the rest of us live by.

Fearless dominance, meanwhile, includes a tendency to embrace risk without any fear, showing limited reaction to awful events that would make the rest of us panic – combined with a tendency to appear charming and influential. Without Conscience: Th... Robert D. Hare Best Price: $5.82 Buy New $12.15 (as of 08:55 UTC - Details)

Although this study finds a correlation, the researchers stress that it doesn’t mean all men with wide faces have psychopathic tendencies.

The facial width to height ratio (fWHR) is worked out by measuring the horizontal distance between the outer edges of the cheekbones and the vertical distance from the highest point of the top lip to the highest point of the eyelids.

The width is then divided by the height.

For the study, the researchers asked 96 adult male university students and 41 male prisoners at a young offenders institution to complete a standard questionnaire that psychologists use to measure psychopathic traits.

Known as the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R) test, it creates a total psychopathy score (PPI-R total) and studies fearless dominance, self-centered impulsivity, and coldheartedness.

Following the questionnaire, the men were asked to sit with their faces on a chin-rest, while their photographs were taken.

The researchers measured the men’s fWHRs from these photos and correlated the results with their questionnaire answers.

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