There are an estimated 300,000 of them living in the UK. But could you be one of them?
Now, an online tool could help reveal if you secretly have psychopathic tendencies that you never knew you had.
Based on the work of Professor Michael Levenson, an expert in psychology at Oregon State University, the 27-point quiz covers how you approach love, your life goals and interact with others.
The results, which include a percentage score, can help people to understand how they rank on a psychopathy scale.
Studies show that those with high percentage scores are six times more likely to commit violent crime — although experts say not all psychopaths end up being criminals.
Based on the work of Professor Michael Levenson, an expert in psychology at Oregon State University, the 27-point quiz covers how you approach love, your life goals and interact with others
The results, which include a percentage score can help people to understand how they rank on a psychopathy scale
The quiz, which can be accessed here, first asks how much you agree or disagree that success is based on survival of the fittest.
It also assesses whether you find yourself in the same kinds of trouble, time after time.
Other questions on lifestyle and wellbeing include how important money is to your goals, whether cheating is justified and how much you enjoy manipulating other people’s feelings.
After completing the test, participants discover whether they have more psychopathic or sociopathic tendencies.
Sociopathic personalities are characterised by impulsive, irresponsible and often criminal behaviour. It is sometimes referred to as antisocial personality disorder.
According to some experts, psychopaths are born, while sociopaths are made.
The quiz also logs how impulsive you are in comparison to other quiz participants.
However, it notes the results should only be used as a guide, rather than the ‘sole means of evaluating an individual’s psychopathic traits’.
Generally, people who are described as psychopaths show traits such as antisocial behaviour, untruthfulness, irresponsibility and lack of remorse or empathy.
Studies have found that psychopaths often exhibit diminished emotional responses to gruesome or disturbing stimuli, allowing them to engage with such content without experiencing the discomfort or revulsion that most people would feel.
Only around 0.6 percent of British adults are considered to have clinically significant levels of psychopathic traits.
The disorder is diagnosed using a 20-item Hare Psychopathy Checklist, which features traits such as lack of empathy, pathological, and impulsivity.
Each is scored on a three-point scale, zero is for does not apply and two fully applies.
Earlier this year a British researcher warned that more women are psychopaths than commonly thought.
Dr Clive Boddy at Anglia Ruskin University said signs of psychopathy in women are different to men and can come in the form of sexually seductive and manipulative behaviour.
Only around 0.6 percent of British adults considered to have clinically significant levels of psychopathic traits. Pictured, the Joker who is often considered to be a psychopath
Current scientific evidence suggests that male psychopaths outnumber females by around six to one.
But Dr Boddy thinks the real ratio of male to female psychopathy is about 1.2 to one – up to five times higher than previously suggested.
Experts used to believe antisocial personality disorders were lifelong conditions. But now, some believe they can be treated and even cured.
According to the NHS, evidence suggests behaviour can improve over time with therapy, even if core characteristics such as lack of empathy remain.
Talking therapies, like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are sometimes used to treat antisocial personality disorder.
Community-based programmes can also be an effective long-term treatment method for people with antisocial personality disorders, medics say.
The social therapy addresses the person’s risk of offending and works to meet their emotional and psychological needs.
However, there is little evidence to suggest the use of drugs for treating antisocial personality disorder, the health service says.
Certain antipsychotic and antidepressant medicines can be helpful in some cases.
