Can an online quiz spot a psychopath?

Online quizzes claim to unmask the psychopaths among us. But just how accurate are these tests?

People are fascinated by the nature of the psychopathic personality. Lurid tales of con men and serial killers capture our imagination and feature prominently in films like No Country For Old Men and Silence of the Lambs. Recent popular books on the topic like The Psychopath Test and The Wisdom of Psychopaths have brought psychopathy into the public consciousness, claiming to unmask the psychopaths among us or show how psychopathic traits can be advantageous.

Psychopathy is a rare and serious personality disorder, which is primarily diagnosed in criminal justice settings. Individuals with psychopathy lack empathy and remorse, do not emotionally connect with other people, are manipulative, use other people to their own ends and are often aggressive or violent. Psychopaths are estimated to make up approximately 1% of the population, but comprise up to 20% of the prison population.