How to Identify a Psychopath

Dr. Daniel Boduszek, Associate Professor of Criminal Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, has conducted research and developed a new method for assessing psychopathy. His findings were published in the Journal of Criminal Justice.

Boduszek’s goal was to create a scale that could identify psychopathy regardless of background factors, including criminal history. Psychopaths are found not only in the criminal world but also, for example, in business. That’s why there is a need for what Dr. Boduszek describes in his new article as a “pure personal measure of psychopathy, uncontaminated by behavioral elements.” This, he says, “will allow researchers to broaden the concept for all population groups.”

Although Dr. Boduszek and his colleagues conducted their study among 1,794 inmates from 10 prisons, the participants’ criminality and antisocial behavior were not considered when evaluating their responses to the psychopathy trait questionnaires. The questionnaire, developed by Dr. Boduszek, includes statements such as:

• “I don’t care if my actions upset someone.”
• “I’m more focused on my own thoughts and ideas than on what others think.”
• “Seeing people cry doesn’t upset me.”
• “I’m willing to help others only if I see a benefit for myself.”
• “Sometimes I provoke people just to see their reaction.”

The new questionnaire emphasizes key factors first described in 1940 by influential American psychologist Hervey M. Cleckley. One of the main goals in developing the questionnaire was to ensure that egocentricity was fully tested. This was a primary criterion for Cleckley, but, as Boduszek notes, “it is often neglected in current psychopathy research.”

Before his academic career, Boduszek worked as a psychologist in prisons, including maximum-security facilities. Thanks to his connections, he organized a large-scale survey of nearly 2,000 inmates from 10 maximum-security prisons in Poland — from murderers and sexual offenders to those convicted of non-violent crimes.

To validate the new questionnaire, participants also completed six other personality trait assessments commonly used by psychologists. In his article, Dr. Boduszek provides a detailed description of the methodology and results, stating that his model of psychopathy is defined by four distinct factors: emotional responsiveness, cognitive responsiveness, tendency toward interpersonal manipulation, and egocentricity. He also emphasized that intelligence level should be considered when studying psychopathy.

He concludes that “this approach, which does not take behavioral elements into account, can be applied equally to both criminals and law-abiding citizens.” Boduszek plans to further develop and test the questionnaire, hoping to conduct studies in U.S. prisons and among the general population. His goal is to create a diagnostic tool primarily for use with inmates — for example, to identify heightened psychopathic traits and provide subsequent therapy.

Brain Imaging and Psychopathy

Earlier, brain scans conducted by scientists at Radboud University (Netherlands) helped identify the features of neural networks in criminals prone to psychopathy. It turns out that a lack of self-control, combined with the anticipation of reward, pushes people toward committing crimes.

As is well known, psychopathy includes, on one hand, a lack of empathy and emotional involvement, and on the other, impulsivity and selfish behavior. These character traits are closely linked to the brain’s reward center. Scientists analyzed MRI scans of 14 inmates with psychopathic tendencies and 20 ordinary people, half of whom scored high on the psychopathy scale. The scans showed that in all participants with psychopathy (both inmates and others), the reward center was significantly more active than in people without mental disorders.

This may be inherited, but addiction and chronic stress over many years also play a major role in shaping a criminal personality.

Numerous studies have shown that “good” neural connections between the reward center and the mid-prefrontal cortex help us better control our behavior. This is the first study conducted on inmates that shows a tendency toward crime arises from the anticipation of reward and lack of self-control.