A Woman's Head Movement Could Be Giveaway If She's a Psychopath [Study]

One gesture could be a giveaway if a woman is a psychopath. Continue reading to know what one should look out for.

One Gesture That Could Signify a Woman Is a Psychopath

In a new study, researchers at the University of New Mexico's Department of Psychology in Albuquerque examined women and their nonverbal communication that could giveaway if they were psychopaths.

According to the researchers, nonverbal behaviors, or head dynamics, are a significant but little-studied kind of communication that may improve our capacity to identify some types of psychopathology, including psychopathy.

The study suggests that women with high psychopathy scores have a distinct pattern of head dynamics, with their heads positioned more still throughout clinical interviews.

People who are classified as psychopaths typically exhibit characteristics including antisocial behavior, dishonesty, carelessness, and a lack of empathy or regret.

Research has indicated that men with psychopathic tendencies exhibit distinct nonverbal communication patterns, such as maintaining constant head orientations during clinical interviews. It is unknown, nevertheless, if women who score highly on psychopathic qualities also exhibit "similar patterns of head dynamics."

To answer the question, the researchers conducted a study involving 213 female prisoners. The women were interviewed and informed that it was "videotaped for data quality purposes and possible use in future analyses."

The researchers analyzed the videos using image processing and machine learning technology to automatically extract head movement.

The instrument was used in each interview to measure the head position in each frame as well as the average head position for the duration of the session.

The researchers employed the "Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Revised" (PCL-R), a widely used evaluation tool created in the 1970s by Canadian psychologist Robert D. Hare, to ascertain the degree of psychopathy.

The PCL-R is a 20-item checklist that rates a person from one to 40; in the US, a score of 30 or higher is considered a psychopath.

According to the team, the PCL-R has been "validated for use among incarcerated women" in addition to detained men.

The researchers discovered, as predicted, that prisoners' scores on the psychopathy scale increased with decreasing head movement.

The results may be significant for prison officials because psychopathy is "highly predictive of future re-offending" in both genders.

Self-Proclaimed Psychopath Proud of Condition

M.E. Thomas, a lawyer in California, claimed that she was a female psychopath. According to her, the condition offered her two key advantages to succeed -- she doesn't worry about gendered standards and doesn't mind asking dumb questions.

Thomas stated that she doesn't adopt the emotions or actions of other people in an opinion piece for Business Insider. She warned that "people can become so wrapped up in taking offense or taking things personally that they're not part of."

Thomas advised non-psychopaths that their lives will be better and more fulfilling if they avoid associating with circumstances that are beyond their control. She cited rivalries in sports and international politics to support her arguments.

Furthermore, though, the California native issued a warning: it's imperative to let go of any concerns about what other people might think of you.

In her 2014 book "Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight," Thomas shared an encounter with a city employee who reprimanded her for using an escalator that was off-limits. According to her, there was a "metallic" taste on her tongue and she entertained thoughts of murdering him.

She added that she was not a killer and would not murder him. However, she also said that she would have assaulted him.

After releasing her book, Thomas said she lost her job as a law professor at St. Mary's University. Her bosses reportedly deemed her as someone who posed a risk to the students.