Test: Your Psychopathic Traits

For 16+ only

Psychopathy is a condition that causes people to display anti-social behaviour, lack of empathy and remorse, and fearless dominance. Find out more

Everyone has these characteristics to some degree - take the test and find out where you sit on the spectrum.

Everyone has psychopathic characteristics to some degree - take the test and find out yours.

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Game: Spot the Psychopath

For some personality characteristics found in psychopaths, having the dial turned up high can actually help you succeed in life.

How good are you at spotting the characteristics of a psychopath?

Some psychopathic characteristics can help you succeed in life - can you spot them in these well known people?

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Professor Kevin Dutton

These tests were devised by Professor Kevin Dutton, University of Oxford. He is a best selling author and an expert on the psychopathic personality. To visit his website go to: www.kevindutton.co.uk(This link opens in a new window). Follow him on Twitter: @profkevindutton(This link opens in a new window)

Game: Spot the Psychopath

Can you guess who scored most highly?

If you delve into the lives of some of the most interesting and influential characters in history you will find that the presence of psychopathic traits was critical to their success.

We'll give you seven pairs of personalities. For each, can you guess who scored most highly?

Read more about the background of this game

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1 of 7

  • Charles Dickens - Writer
    73%
    • Narcissism 21
    • Fearlessness 28
    • Emotional detachment 14
    • Rebelliousness 19
    • Coolness under pressure 20
  • Adolf Hitler - Dictator of Nazi Germany
    69%
    • Narcissism 27
    • Fearlessness 10
    • Emotional detachment 27
    • Rebelliousness 18
    • Coolness under pressure 15
  • Winston Churchill - Prime Minister of the UK
    66%
    • Narcissism 18
    • Fearlessness 25
    • Emotional detachment 12
    • Rebelliousness 17
    • Coolness under pressure 20
  • Oscar Wilde - Writer and poet
    71%
    • Narcissism 21
    • Fearlessness 19
    • Emotional detachment 13
    • Rebelliousness 22
    • Coolness under pressure 24
  • Freddie Mercury - Lead singer of rock group Queen
    48%
    • Narcissism 20
    • Fearlessness 9
    • Emotional detachment 8
    • Rebelliousness 20
    • Coolness under pressure 10
  • William Shakespeare - Poet and playwright
    46%
    • Narcissism 13
    • Fearlessness 10
    • Emotional detachment 9
    • Rebelliousness 11
    • Coolness under pressure 21
  • Isaac Newton - Physicist and mathematician
    61%
    • Narcissism 26
    • Fearlessness 10
    • Emotional detachment 28
    • Rebelliousness 12
    • Coolness under pressure 9
  • Margaret Thatcher - Prime Minister of the UK
    52%
    • Narcissism 13
    • Fearlessness 10
    • Emotional detachment 14
    • Rebelliousness 11
    • Coolness under pressure 25

Correct!Ooops, incorrect!

An analysis of Charles Dickens' psychopathic traits shows he would have scored a total of 73%. But would Adolf Hitler have scored higher or lower?

Bet that surprised you! Dickens trounces Hitler on physical fearlessness and is also cooler under pressure – which makes him more "macho" than Hitler. Hitler, on the other hand, maxes out on narcissism and emotional detachment making him much colder than Dickens. All in all a close run thing – but Dickens edges it.
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So Adolf Hitler scores 69% for his psychopathic traits. How do you think Winston Churchill compares?

It's not the first time these two have gone head-to-head! Hitler gives Churchill a real pasting when it comes to narcissism and emotional detachment but Churchill is more physically fearless and cool under pressure. Churchill actually scores very low on emotional detachment making him as warm as Hitler is cold. But (thank goodness!) Churchill had the moral courage to act tough when he had to.
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Winston Churchill scores 66% for his psychopathic characteristics. Oscar Wilde was one of the most creative and popular playwrights of the Victorian era - but do his psychopathic traits score higher or lower than Churchill?

Two very warm individuals. Not much to choose between them when it comes to narcissism but Wilde builds up an unassailable lead with his rebelliousness and coolness under pressure scores. Churchill makes up a bit of ground on physical fearlessness, but not enough. Incidentally, if I were to tell you that one of these two had won the Nobel Prize for literature would you guess it was... Churchill?
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With a total of 71%, Oscar Wilde has one of the highest psychopathic scores so far. Queen front-man Freddie Mercury may seem to have a lot in common with him, but in psychopathic terms, does he score higher or lower?

Imagine a night on the town with these two! Freddie matches Oscar in both the narcissism and rebelliousness stakes (not surprising for two highly creative artists) and both are warm and empathic (though Freddie is so low on emotional detachment he just about edges it). But Oscar streaks ahead on physical fearlessness and coolness under pressure: Freddie might have had a great stage presence but in everyday life he was anything but confident.
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Freddie Mercury scores a psychopathic trait level of 48%. How do you think another highly creative individual, William Shakespeare, will compare to him?

Freddie and the Bard are pretty much identical when it comes to physical fearlessness and emotional detachment ratings (both are warm-hearted scaredy-cats!) But Freddie likes the limelight more and has more of a rebellious streak than Will – who, in contrast, is less easily flustered than Freddie. A close one this, but it's Freddie by a whisker – though neither will be going to the Psychopath Olympics!
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William Shakespeare scores a total of 46%. Do you think that Sir Isaac Newton, the British scientist who discovered gravity and laid the foundations of physics and maths, has psychopathic traits that are higher or lower?

Britain's greatest ever writer against, arguably, our greatest ever scientist – and the words 'chalk' and 'cheese' immediately spring to mind! Both Shakespeare and Newton score very low on physical fearlessness and rebelliousness (revolutionaries they most certainly are not!) but that's where the similarity ends. Newton beats Shakespeare on narcissism and emotional detachment (he'd beat most people, in fact) while Shakespeare does the honours when it comes to coolness under pressure.
View the Next comparison

Finally, if scientific genius Sir Isaac Newton scored 61% on the psychopathic scale, where will Britain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher sit?

Irresistible force meets immovable object? Not at all! Newton's second victory on the spin comes quite easily at the expense of the Iron Lady who, despite her public persona, was actually rather warm and empathic behind the scenes. Like Churchill, however, she had the inner steel to be able to override her emotions and favour her head over her heart – which made her a formidable political force in anyone's book!
Finish the game and find out your score!

  • Charles Dickens
  • Adolf Hitler
    69%
  • Winston Churchill
    66%
  • Oscar Wilde
    71%
  • Freddie Mercury
    48%
  • William Shakespear
    46%
  • Isaac Newton
    61%
  • Margaret Thatcher
    52%
Exit to the landing screen

Your score

You scored /7

Oh dear! Manipulating and deceiving others is a trait of many psychopaths, and it looks like they've managed to completely fool you.

Not bad - you managed to identify some of the high scorers, but a few of these characters still managed to surprise you. After all, manipulating and deceiving others is a trait of many psychopaths.

Congratulations - you're pretty good at spotting psychopathic characteristics. You'll want to tell all your friends how good you are. But remember, gradiose self-worth is a psychopathic trait...

  • Charles Dickens 73%
  • Adolf Hitler 69%
  • Winston Churchill 66%
  • Oscar Wilde 71%
  • Freddie Mercury 48%
  • William Shakespeare 46%
  • Isaac Newton 61%
  • Margaret Thatcher 52%

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I scored /7 in this 'Spot the psychopath' game. Play it here: http://www.channel4.com/psychopath #psychopathnight

Test: Your Psychopathic Traits

For 16+ only

See where you sit on the psychopathic spectrum

Read each of the following statements and rate how much you agree with each one. Try to be as honest as you can.

This test should take less than 5 minutes to complete

Start the test

This test is not a diagnostic tool nor is it psychometrically validated. It cannot be used to clinically diagnose psychopathic personality or any mental illness. Any important decisions related to this test should not be made without consulting a medical professional. However, after taking it you'll be able to obtain an approximate sense of how you score relative to other people on the psychopathic personality scale.

Question 1 of 11

“You rarely catch me making any plans, I’m far too spontaneous.”

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Question 2 of 11

“I'd have no problem cheating on my partner if I knew I could get away with it.”

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Question 3 of 11

“If I got a better offer, I wouldn’t mind cancelling long-standing plans.”

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Question 4 of 11

“I don’t get bothered by seeing animals injured or in pain.”

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Question 5 of 11

“It would be fun to drive fast cars, ride rollercoasters and go skydiving.”

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Question 6 of 11

“I think it’s OK to step over other people to achieve my own ambitions.”

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Question 7 of 11

“I’m very persuasive, and getting people to do what I want is a real talent of mine.”

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Question 8 of 11

“My ability to make quick decisions means I would suit a dangerous job.”

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Question 9 of 11

“When the people around me are crumbling under pressure, I’m usually the one with a cool head.”

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Question 10 of 11

“If someone gets conned who cares? They're asking for it.”

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Question 11 of 11

“I’m rarely to blame for things going wrong; it’s usually the fault of the people around me.”

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All done

While we calculate your results, please tell us a bit about yourself

We are working with Prof Kevin Dutton(This link opens in a new window), author of the test, to produce the biggest ever survey of psychopathy in the UK. Providing some basic background information about yourself would really help in making this survey unique.

Important – please read

All results are anonymous and we do not record any personal information

Please note that by providing answers to the following demographic questions, you consent to Channel 4 sharing your answers with its partners Rocket Science Solutions Limited and Professor Kevin Dutton.

Your place on the psychopathic spectrum

Your
score
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Your
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You are warm and empathic with a heightened awareness of social responsibility and a strong sense of conscience. You like to carefully weigh up the pros and cons of a situation before you act and are generally averse to taking risks. You are very much a ‘people person’ and dislike conflict. ‘Do unto others…’ are your watchwords. But, although you avoid hurting others, those residing at the higher end of the psychopathic spectrum might not be as considerate, so stay vigilant to avoid being hurt unnecessarily.

Though your conscience is in the right place you also have a pragmatic streak and generally aren’t afraid to do your own dirty work! You’re no shrinking violet - but no daredevil either. You generally have little trouble seeing things from another person’s perspective but, at the same time, are no pushover. ‘Everything in moderation – including moderation’ might sum up your approach to life.

You can play hardball with the best of them! You know what you want and are not afraid to go for it – even if it means bending the rules occasionally and putting a few noses out of joint on the way. Nothing fazes you. You are decisive, self-confident and pretty much up for anything. You are a ‘means-to-an-end’ person. For you, it’s not necessarily a matter of right or wrong, but of what gets the job done. ‘Bring it on’ is your mantra, but to help those around you keep their heads, you should learn some tricks to help you temper your self-satisfying tendencies...

Read more about the psychopathic spectrum

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I scored % in the @channel4 psychopathic traits test. How psychopathic are you? Take the test http://www.channel4.com/psychopath #psychopathnight

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Please note that this infographic is for illustration purposes only and the results have not been scientifically validated