The Ksenia Psychopathy Checklist is a list of traits that describe psychopathy.
Psychopathy is an affective phenomenon.
We take behavior into account only as a means to assess affective traits.
We capture full psychopathy.
Although we also capture trait psychopath, this is secondary. Partial manifestations will not meet all Core-1 criteria, by design.
Psychopathy is an adaptive (beneficial) phenomenon.
We conceptualize psychopathy as an adaptive (beneficial) difference in personality (specifically, affect) that is reflected in psychophysiological reactivity, with some neutral traits. There is no implication of criminal behavior nor inherently maladaptive (mentally ill, pathological) traits.
Our foremost criterion is face validity.
Statistical validity is auxiliary and mostly used to organize questions and abbreviate the questionnaire.
The KPCL is a built on theoretical–semantic consierations
That is: We think about what each item means in psychological terms. The KPCL is a tool to understand and study how psychopaths think. The KPCL thus answers questions like:
How does it feel to be a psychopath?
How do psychopaths think?
Why do psychopaths do what they do, based on how they think?
We consider statistical results (results of factor analysis, external correlates of psychopathy questionnaires, etc.) only as a suggestion.
The KPCL does not contain a built-in variology or typology.
Instead the KPCL is the foundation. A variology can be built on top based on statistical data churning (empirical approach), theoretical–semantic model or combination thereof.
The KPCL subsumes the dark tetrad
Grandiose narcissism is part of Dominance—Grandiosity.
The concept of Machiavellianism in the dark tetrad is simply psychopathy conceptualized as cold and calculating instead of hot headed.
Sadism is included in items Sadism and Sadistic coziness. In addition, so-called “subclinical sadism” is included in items Enjoys having power and control over other people, Wrathful Hostility.
The KPCL is developed by Ksenia, an independent researcher that is a psychopath herself.
Ksenia has a privileged understanding from analyzing psychopathy in a detached matter-of-fact way incorporating both own experience and existing information from the literature.
The KPCL can be directly used for assessment.
Any person experienced in psychiatry and in particular with the concept of psychopath can use the KPCL to evaluate any person including herself. When used for self-assessment each item should be evaluated from a detached matter-of-fact viewpoint.
The KPCL can be used to develop questionnaires.
The KPCL is not a questionnaire since it is written in conceptual terms, not specific questions. It can be used to develop psychopathy self-report questionnaires or observed-rated questionnaires.
The hierarchical structure is a matter of convenience.
An hierarchical structure is used primarily to organize the presentation of the list of traits and make them easier to remember, think about and talk about. Although an attempt has been made to make the hierarchical structure semantically–theoretically meaningful, there is no implication that it is the only correct one.
The KPCL is a living work. Living work means the model changes to incorporate improvements to the model itself and to the description. Thus we update the description in this page. This is analogous to living standards related to the Internet and articles in a wiki.
In addition to the living version, we plan to eventually publish a stable version in a new web page in this web site. Subsequent versions may be occasionally published as required.
The list of items elaborates as needed for assessment.
Commentary on why a particular item was chosen go into the Development section.
1.1 Level of importance of items
Each item has a level of importance:
Core-1: Required.
Core-2: Not required. Considered part of psychopathy. Missing traits indicate incomplete psychopathy.
Complementary (Comp): If present, considered part of psychopathy. Missing traits do not indicate incomplete psychopathy.
Given a candidate trait, we ask ourselves: “If a person have less or none of this trait, do we say she is less of a psychopath?”. if not, then that should not be included in the definition of psychopathy, but merely as a correlate.
1.2 Rating scale
Assign a score to each item as follows:
Absent or minimal (0)
Partial (1)
Full (2)
1.3 The list of items
Some items have points. Points are suggestions to guide the evaluator. Use points to have an idea of what things to look for. Do not assign scores to each point. Ignore points according to judgment, especially when they are not applicable given the circumstances of the subject or when the evaluator knows of a more compelling reason to score the item than the points.
1.3.1 Coldness
Other names: Callosity–Unemotionality, Emotional Reactivity (R).
These items refer to emotional blunting, especially absence of negative emotions under threats to the self or to others. However, items that fit this description are placed within another subscale if they fit better. Items about the presence of an emotion (e.g.: sadism as opposed to absence of concern for the suffering of others) do not belong here.
Absence of empathy [Core-1]
Subject does not have empathy (a.k.a. “affective empathy”), i.e.: Does not feel negative emotions vicariously or for the mere fact that another person is suffering. Witnessing other’s suffering is humorous, annoying or indifferent for the subject.
Me and my friends were outside school when one classmate was hit in front of us by a car. I laughed. Some of my friends jumped. Some were distraught. Later they expressed they felt sorry for the accidented classmate.
Low arousal [Core-1]
Finds boring activities that keep most people engaged. Finds engaging activities that are highly arousing or requires stimulants to find activities engaging. Becomes bored doing the same activity.
I am bored most of the day.
I thought people were being metaphorical when they say “I am shaking from happiness”. I have never experienced that.
If I won the lottery, I would be like “Ok, good but it is not a big deal.”.
Points
Pervasive boredom
Reduced joyous excitement
Does not become elated by positive events or the expectation of positive events to the point of jumping, compulsively telling all contacts or having similar extreme immediate celebratory behavior.
Courageous or fearless [Core-1]
Unlike Stress resilience this is specific to fear in the sense of an overwhelming response of avoidance to an immediate and well-defined threat. E.g.: Fear of pain, fear of animals, fear of confrontation, fear of death.
It is stupid to fear death. It is literally nothing. You feel nothing being dead. It is the same as before you were born. Why would I be scared of that?
Cold aggression [Core-1]
Does not need to feel emotions in order to antagonize.
Absence of guilt [Core-1]
Absence of unconditional emotional love (as opposed to logical love) [Core-1]
If the subject feels love, it is always for people that do something for the subject. The love is experienced as a logical desire to have a mutualistic relationship with the other person.
Absence of somatic empathy [Core-1]
Subject does not experience negative emotions or a negative physical reaction to witnessing physical harm to other people including gore.
Emotional detachment [Core-2]
Able to reason and act about things matter-of-fact, i.e.: using logic without becoming emotionally involved. E.g. Judging the Russian invasion of Ukraine without taking sides.
Stresss resilience [Core-2]
Has no extreme emotions in situations that put pressure in most people to the point they react irrationally or freeze like accidents, shoot-outs and armed combat. Keeps control over herself. Does not find the situation traumatic during or after the fact.
Capacity to ignore pain [Core-2]
Can ignore at least moderate pain so that it is felt and it hurts but does not affect the mental state of the subject. The intense form of this item is partial pain asymbolia: the subject is not hurt by at least moderate pain, i.e.: feels the sensation of pain but there is no annoyance whatsoever.
Grey rage [Core-2]
Reduced or absent red rage.
Includes reduced or absent emotional grudges.
Absence of depression in the strict sense [Core-2]
Anhedonia is not part of depression. Having anhedonia by itself does not disqualitiy somebody from this item.
Blunted or absent sadness [Core-2]
1.3.2 Tough Stance
These items refer to a tough judgment, i.e.: valoration of strength of character, rejection of weakness. Although Tough Stace is related to Coldness, Tough Stance is about viewpoint and thus primarily given by reasoning while Coldness is exclusively about emotions, namely emotional blunting.
Coldheartedness [Core-1]
P: I find it stupid and annoying that people make a big deal about commemorating the WTC attack, the Holocaust and similar.
No detached concern for the welfare of others overall. This is different from empathy. The following are not counted against this item:
Detached concern for people that are useful for one’s interests.
Detached concern in a mutualistic relationship.
Detached concern for particular people coming from a mutualistic relationship with said people. E.g.: A psychopath may have detached concern for friends and {family that do things for her}.
Detached concern coming from the psychopath’s activities. E.g.: A medic psychopath may have detached concern for patients in as much as providing adequate treatment for them.
Competitive jungle worldview (CJW) [Core-2]
A.k.a.: predator-prey worldview, social darwinism, drastic realism, competitive jungle belief. There are many ways to express this including:
There is predator and prey. If you are not a predator, you will be prey.
I do not care about justification. I do things because I can and I want.
Inherent rights do not exist. There only exists the will to do and the power to impose your will.
Losers deserve no help.
Fundamental strength [Core-2]
Fundamental strength means rejecting one’s weaknesses.
No blanket trust [Core-2]
Does not believe that people are trustworthy by default. Subject can trust a person if she has evidence that said person is trustworthy. Does not blindly trust authorities. Is reasonably skeptical of professional’s and expert’s opinion instead of taking it as the final word.
Radical realism [Core-2]
There is no point to hope to things to be different for how they are since hope does not make them so, actions do.
Values logic over emotions [Core-2]
Antiemotionality [Comp]
Disgust from people expressing intense emotions.
It annoys me when people die because a family member dies. What do they think they are going to accomplish with that? It just makes things worse for them.
The worst part of my birthday is when people give me their “best wishes”. I have to pretend I am thankful for that. How do “best wishes” benefit me? They do not. Just give me the gift and shut up.
People donate to charities to delude themselves that they are doing something good. That does not make them good in any way. It makes them stupid. Most charities are useless.
Radical accountability [Comp]
You are responsible for your conditions and your actions. If you are depressed, that is your fault for letting things get to you. If you did wrong what I asked of you then you earned a punishment, no excuses. If you did something stupid while being drunk then you are stupid. Control yourself or do not drink.
1.3.3 Dominance–Grandiosity
These items are related to a view of oneself as superior at the expense of others which supports a tendency (not just capability) to put down and exploit others for one’s benefit. This is in contrast with viewing oneself as not fundamentally better than others and treating others as peers.
High sense of self [Core-1]
Subjects sees herself in a positive image and better than others. Is self-confident/{secure in herself}. Is prideful and this pride is self-assured, not dependent on validation (a.k.a. hubristic pride).
The extreme form of this is grandiose sense of self: The subject consistently feels greater-than-life: A sense of being a goddess and any combination of perfect, invincible, infallible, immortal, far above human capabilities, the only conscious being in the universe, being the purpose of the universe, possessing an epistemologically privileged viewpoint (w.r.t. other intelligent agents), etc. Not to be confused with psychosis. Although the subject feels greater than life, she rationally knows this is not reality.
Egoistical [Core-1]
Is primarily concerned with own welfare, not morals, ideology or similar. To score full it is not required that the subject only concern is her own welfare. Is willing to cause a negative utility for others and fail obligations in order to obtain a positive utility for herself.
Psychopathy is ego-syntonic [Core-2]
If the subject is not aware that she is a psychopath evaluate whether the traits in this checklist are ego-syntonic. The subject does not wish to be normal and does not see psychopathy (or the traits) as a defect. For example: The subject sees not having empathy as positive.
Ego not dependent on praise and criticism [Core-2]
Manipulative [Core-2]
We define manipulation as eloquent talking directed to make the listener do what one wants. Note that manipulation does not necessarily involve lying.
The subject manipulates whenever it is required for her goal. This item does not require the user to always manipulate.
No distress during lying [Core-2]
Subject is confident of her manipulation skills and therefore feels no distress during lying. Absence of guilt (including as part of lying) is in a separate item.
Domineering–authoritative [Core-2]
Tends to tell other people what to do with an authoritative tone and has a willingness to coerce other people into doing what one wants. Note that this includes exploitation but is not limited to exploitation. It also includes giving recommendations with an authoritative tone and a tendency for grooming.
Points
An authoritative interpersonal style. A preference for the grammatical imperative (e.g.: “Do this”) instead of “Could you please do X?”.
Willingness to coerce people into doing what one wants. “Either you wash the dishes or we break up. I can find another one like you.”.
A tendency for motherliness/grooming, i.e.: Giving suggestions and steering other people’s lives towards one’s own idea of how they should conduct themselves, as opposed to mere suggestions. E.g.: “Quit your job and invest in cryptocurrency.”.
Contempt for people [Comp]
Most people are idiots/worthless/useless. In a crowd, I feel like being in the middle of a garbage dump.
90 % of people are mentally defective. They are worse than animals because they have the ability to use reason but choose to go with their impulses and feelings instead.
Enjoys having power and control over other people [Comp]
Respect is earned, not deserved [Comp]
Includes disliking following orders from unworthy authority.
Sadism [Comp]
Pure sadism or sadomasochism. It comes from enjoying power over other people and feeding one’s ego. It does not come from hatred of the victim.
It does not quality if the subject feels hot manic as a result of aggression. E.g. Feeling “bubbly” when stabbing somebody and seeing blood ooze does not qualify.
Sadistic coziness [Comp]
Subject experiences relaxation, calmness, peace or cozyness from observing the suffering of others either in-person, in media or in imagination.
I like imagining walking among a “forest” of people impaled in poles screaming and writhing in agony. It feels peaceful, like the coziness of a warm blanket in a cold day.
Leadership [Comp]
When working in groups subject has a tendency to be the official or de facto leader.
Difference with Domineering: Domineering refers to a style of interaction and can be evident in a single minutes-long interaction. Leadership is a role one adopts among a group and stays consistent through months or as long as the group lasts.
Arrogant affect [Comp]
Subject is confident of her own capability and when free to speak, readily mentions it in an exhibitionistic way.
Friend: I followed your advice and it worked. You were right.
Psychopath: I always am.
When people tell me I am very intelligent I say “I know.”. People have told me that since I can remember. It is no compliment, it is just a fact.
1.3.4 Asociality
Other names: Social disconnect, social indifference.
Reduced peer pressure/Does not care about social acceptance [Core-2]
Points
The subject is skeptical of the importance of issues talked about in mainstream media. E.g.: That SARS-CoV-2 warrants generalized fear and suspensionn of activities.
The subject is blunt to the point of being offensive as a side effect when there is nothing at stake because of being indifferent to whether this is well received by the other person.
Is indifferent towards social norms [Core-2]
Points
Subject does not accept at face value claims of competence of expert figures accepted by either mainstream or within groups she is member of. This does not refer to conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories show lack of skepticism.
Absence of loneliness [Core-2]
Does not feel loneliness when alone.
Absent or reduced shame [Core-2]
If shame is present, it is mild and short-lived.
Blunted or absent indignation [Core-2]
Absence of envy [Comp]
Instrumental social relationships [Comp]
Social contacts are for a purpose. Entertainment is a possible purpose.
1.3.5 Irresponsability
These items have in common a prioritization for short-term reward over long-term consequences. This is related to the low pole of Big Five conscientiousness.
Wrathful hostility [Core-2]
Subject has a taste for confrontation and a desire to antagonize people for its own sake. Subject keeps control over whether to act on this desire. When acted on, it is cold aggression rather than aggression out of uncontrolled reactive emotions.
Irresponsability [Comp]
Finds difficult to impossible to perform activities because of obligation instead of intrinsic reward. Includes being unwilling to have an ordinary job, i.e.: with pre-defined working hours and that involve following orders.
Parasitic [Comp]
Obtains things at the expense of others instead of acquiring them with own labor.
Impatience [Comp]
Sensation seeking [Comp]
Prolonged boredom leads to performing entertaining/interesting activities that are costly or risky in order to relieve the boredom.
I was very bored so I induced serotonin syndrome on myself on purpose to see how it is like.
I went out in the night looking for something to set fire to.
Carefree [Comp]
Has little to no aprehension about the negative consequences of rewarding actions.
No ideological investment [Comp]
1.4 Pitfalls of evaluation
Female-to-male transsexual
We have found that natal women with antisocial traits that used FTM HRT in the past or use it in the present invariably have a fragile ego and thus are not psychopaths (Item High sense of self).
Sissies
We have found that male to female transsexuals that are attracted to men because of the false premise that men are the strong sex are BPD and thus not psychopaths (many items).
Art
We have found that style of art appreciation highly correlates with emotionality. Highly emotional people tend to like art that portrats “muh emotions” and vague concepts including abstract visual arts and poetry. Cold people tend to like art that portrays reality or an idealized version of reality, possibly with minor decorations. Said minor decorations do not opaque the realism. For example: Non-realistic colors in otherwise visual art.
1.5 Development
1.5.1 Conceptualization
Conceptual traits, not the actual checklist:
Social dominance
Me at the expense of others.
Augmented narcissism
I am the most important person in the world. Others’ function is to serve me.
Much reduced or absent social contagion
Just because other people all agree on a judgment means nothing to me.
Egoism
Just because doing X instead of Y is better for society does not mean I will do X.
Cold rationality
Weak people suffer and die from their weaknes. That is a fact. I will not feel the pain of weak people but I feel my pleasure and my pain. Therefore I will act so as to maximize my pleasure and minimize my pain.
Competitive jungle worldview
There are predators and prey. Be a predator or else you will be prey.
Fearlessness or intense courageousness
1.5.2 Differentiation between subscales and items
Coldness vs Tough Stance
Both subscales include an absence of concern for others. Coldness is primarily affective while Tough Stance is judgmental.
Overly specific questions
Asking an overly specific question like “I would enjoy skydriving” and generalizing this to openness to experience. A subject may answer “No” because “It would ruin my hair.” despite being open to experience. This can be partially countered by including several such questions but gives a lower score arbitrarily to subjects that have the problematic answer.
Assuming that non-criminal psychopathy is a less intense manifestation
The KPCL is for full psychopathy. Moreover, we believe the criterion is stronger than all criteria for psychopathy used for both criminal and non-criminal populations. (E.g.: Aileen Wuornos would not pass a screening in Harpies Nest).
1.6 Ideas
Ideas under consideration.
(Question) I like being tested because I can show off my strength.
When I help people it is because I am bored, to make them dependent on me, to earn their favor, to build something intersting.
Detached concern instead of empathy.
(Question) I like using people’s own words to hurt them.
(Question) I find it funny when I accidentally break something that is not mine in front of the owner.
Blunted or absent hatred.
Disgust of people (I find it annoying to be next to normies, like smelling garbage.).
Engineer worldview
When somebody tells me her problems, I automatically think of how to solve them and tell her.
If a friend tells me she has a headache, I would rather tell her to take medication than to say “I hope you get better.”.
Inverted bright triad.
Not being a sore loser if the other party is not a sore winner.
Boxer attitude: Can delimit antagonism to the conflict itself and remain emotionally unaffected, like a boxer.
Radical solutions.
(?) Escalate to deescalate.
(?) Passive aggressive.
(?) Sadism is cute.
People have always called me a psychopath and I thought they were exaggerating.
Keeps control under mania.
Keeps control when under sedatives (e.g.: ethanol).
Preferred indifference.
No interest in conventional monogamy.
I do not require people to let me. I take what I want.
Minimal to none cognitive dissonance.
Face goes immediately to resting after laughing.
Violence and other’s suffering is relaxing and the tingles.
Absence of cringe feeling.
Absence of awkwardness feeling.
Narcissism (subset of traits):
I would only submit to somebody who is really strong.
I only provide proof of my mertis to people who have a legitimate reason to demand proof, never to protect my ego.
People are toys, tools or noise for me.
Most people are inferior to me.
Usually, if I have nothing to gain by pretending, I treat people as inferior to me becaue they are.
Worldview (subset of traits):
Anti-egalitarianism (???)
Empathy is weakness.
Rejection of weakness in oneself and others.
(Complementary) Stoicism.
(Complementary) Hedonism (???).
Owning one’s own actions. Perceived as cynism (I lied).
Caring about others as property (I would risk my life to protect a person I really like because she is mine).
Virtues are not superrational as in “if everybody did this, the world would be better”, but rather out of convenience or narcissism.
People care too much about things and that is a mistake. They end up causing suffering to themselves.
Rejection of blind altruism.
Rejection of rights.
Being very selective with whom one receives emotional comfort from, or altogether always rejecting it.
Human life has no intrinsic value.
Being antisocial in a calculated way is better than being antisocial out of impulsiveness. E.g.: Calculated murder should not be given a harsher sentence that impulsive murder. If anything, impulsive murderers should be punished for the stupidity.
(Question) If you walk on a dark alley and are raped, you have nobody to blame but yourself.
(Question) Give people enough rope to hang themselves with.
(Question) Pushing depressed people to suicide is good.
(Question) Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
Dimitri-Nietzsche (Fighting well is more important than the cause you fight for).
Trolley problem: When asked for what is the right thing (in a prosocial sense) is not averse to cause harm for the common good. Thus tends to utilitarianism, although may hold some deontological principles not based on empathy but on honor.
Reduced allegiance to groups born into.
Also include tentative physiophysical traits:
Diminished startle w.r.t nons.
Diminished instead of increased startle in presence of depictions of violence.
The tingles with respect to dominance and violence.
Low resting rate.
Higher level of endogenous μ-opioids or sensitivity of μ-opioid receptor OR of cannabinoid receptors.
Paradoxical response to dopaminergic stimulants.
Reduced sensitivity to DMT (?).
Physicalist view of delusional insight of serotonergic hallucinogens.
Do an impression management subscale:
I am incapable of feeling anything like love.
I am incapable of caring about people in any way.
I never do things for others.
I hate society and I would enjoy killing people.
I would love shooting a school.
Society are assholes (ASPD+BPD butthurt).
TO-DO: Sadism impression management.
I do not have emotions.
I can see myself becoming a serial killer.
Idea: Killing overemphasis, e.g.: I think about killing people most of the day.
Idea: Killing and torturing specifically, e.g.: There is certain people that deserve to be tortured and I would enjoy to be the one to torture them.
Idea: Deserving.
I wish I could understand and relate to people (autism).
I never help anybody.
Dark pentad:
Trait psychopathy
Narcissism
Machiavellianism
Sadism
Hostility/aggressiveness
Variants of psychopathy:
Lykken-1 (E.g.: Ksenia, Anastasiya)
Lykken-2 (E.g.: Christina)
Cleckley (E.g.: Tevil, Stazlax)
{DID/dissociation}-variant?
Schizoid-variant?
2 List of psychopathy questionnaires and related
Questionnaires and checklists for psychopathy and neighboring concepts.
Do not use! Not introduced in the literature and there are no studies assessing any validity of this scale. Moreover, it conflates aggression with hot aggression.
This questionnaire has a dubious factor structure. Many factor models have been published. Some derived scales including only a subset of items of increased consistency have been published.
It is noteworthy that positive-scored items have a higher difficulty (in the meaning of item response theory) than negative-scored items. See for example Ray (2016) Positive and Negative Item Wording and Its Influence on the Assessment of Callous-Unemotional Traitshttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/279456470.
Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits and Antisocial Behavior for Young People (INCA)
Introduced in: Morales-Vives (2019) The INventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Antisocial Behavior (INCA) for Young People: Development and Validation in a Community Samplehttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00713.
List of items: In introductory paper.
Do not use! Conflates psychopathy with criminal personality.
Checklist for observer rating. Not a questionnaire.
Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI)
Items: 187.
List of items: Ali (2007) Recognition of Facial Affect in individuals scoring high and low on Psychopathic Personality Characteristicshttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/2293, p. 82-87.
Crowe (2020) Fearless Dominance/Boldness Is Not Strongly Related to Externalizing Behaviors: An Item Response-Based Analysishttps://doi.org/10.1177/1073191120907959
IRT analysis.
Sörman (2016) Reliability and Construct Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised in a Swedish Non-Criminal Sample – A Multimethod Approach including Psychophysiological Correlates of Empathy for Painhttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156570.
Costello (2018) Psychopathy and Pride: Testing Lykken’s Hypothesis Regarding the Implications of Fearlessness for Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviorhttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00185.
Correlates between the PPI-R, NPI, HEXACO-100 and AHPS.
Edens (2010) Examining the Construct Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory–Revised: Preferential Correlates of Fearless Dominance and Self-Centered Impulsivityhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/41967801
Item-level exploratory factor analysis for the Fearless Dominance (FD) subscale.
Croom (2021) Psychometric properties of the psychopathic personality inventory: Application to high-functioning business populationhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/349150672.
Per-subscale exploratory factor analysis.
Psychopathic Personality Inventory—Revised, 40 items version (PPI-R-40)
Items: 40.
Introduced in: Eisenbarth (2014) Using a Genetic Algorithm to Abbreviate the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R)https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269115484.
Abbreviated version of the PPI-R.
Selected papers
Kelley (2016) Development and validation of an inconsistent responding scale for an abbreviated version of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory — Revisedhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/285672624.
Inconsistent responding scale.
Psychopathic Personality Inventory—Short Form (PPI-SF)
Items: 56.
Abbreviated version of the PPI.
Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS)
Items: 20.
Introduced in: Boduszek (2016) Introduction and validation of Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS) in a large prison samplehttp://hdl.handle.net/10034/595520.
List of items: In introductory paper.
Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale—Revised (PPTS-R)
Introduced in: Boduszek (2021) Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale–Revised (PPTS-R): Empirical Investigation of Construct Validity and Dimensionality in a Forensic and Non-Forensic Samplehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/350889935.
The authors did not give an explicit questionnaire. Instead, they defined an index of psychopathy based on the scores on facets of the NEO-PI-R. Although this implicitly results in a list of questions from which a questionnaire can be extracted, the point of the FFPI is that any questionnaire which evaluates the given FFM facets can be used to evaluate psychopathy.
Validation: Boduszek (2018) Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS): Construct Validity of the Instrument in a Sample of U.S. Prisonershttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01596.
My knowledge and experience tells me that the social world we live in is basically a competitive ‘in which the fittest survive and succeed, in which power, wealth, and winning are everything, and might is right.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world where you have to be ruthless at times.
Life is not governed by the ‘survival of the fittest’, we should let compassion and moral laws be our guide (R).
You know that most people are out to ‘screw’ you, so you have to get them first when you get the chance.
The best way to lead a group under one’s supervision is to show them kindness, consideration, and treat them as fellow workers, not as inferiors (R).
If one has power in a situation, one should use it however one has to in order to get one’s way.
All in all it is better to be humble and honest than important and dishonest (R).
Money, wealth and luxury are what really count in life.
Charity (i.e., giving somebody something for nothing) is admirable, not stupid (R).
It is much more important in life to have integrity in your dealings with others than to have money and power (R).
If it’s necessary to be cold blooded and vengeful to reach one’s goals, then one should do it.
Honesty is the best policy in all cases (R).
There is really no such thing as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. It all boils down to what you can get away with.
Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you, and never do anything unfair to someone else (R).
Basically people are objects to be quietly and coolly manipulated for one’s own benefit.
3.4 Dirty Dozen (DD)
Machiavellianism (4 items)
I tend to manipulate others to get my way.
I have used deceit or lied to get my way.
I have use flattery to get my way.
I tend to exploit others towards my own end.
Psychopathy (4 items)
I tend to lack remorse.
I tend to be unconcerned with the morality of my actions.
I tend to be callous or insensitive.
I tend to be cynical.
Narcissism (4 items)
I tend to want others to admire me.
I tend to want others to pay attention to me.
I tend to seek prestige or status.
I tend to expect special favors from others.
3.5 Expanded Version of the Three-Factor Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (E-LSRP)
Items are in the order of Table 3 from the introductory paper, followed by the Infrequency Validity scale in the order mentioned in the running text. Numeration is ours.
Answers:
1: Strongly disagree
2: Somewhat disagree
3: Somewhat agree
4: Strongly agree
Egocentric (11 items)
Success is based on survival of the fittest; I am not concerned about the losers.
People who are stupid enough to get ripped off usually deserve it.
I tell other people what they want to hear so that they will do what I want them to do.
I often admire a really clever scam.
In today’s world, I feel justified in doing anything I can get away with to succeed.
Making a lot of money is my most important goal.
My main purpose in life is getting as many goodies as I can.
For me, what’s right is whatever I can get away with.
I enjoy manipulating other people’s feelings.
I let others worry about higher values; my main concern is with the bottom line.
Looking out for myself is my top priority.
Callous (12 items)
I make a point of trying not to hurt others in pursuit of my goals. (R)
Cheating is not justifiable because it is unfair to others. (R)
Even if I were trying very hard to sell something, I wouldn’t lie about it. (R)
I feel bad if my words or actions cause someone else to feel emotional pain. (R)
I tend not to think about other people’s feelings.
People are too emotional at funerals.
When people are sad around me, I feel sad myself. (R)
I’m not a very emotional person.
I tend to cry in sad movies. (R)
I feel bad when I do something wrong. (R)
My friends consider me a warm person. (R)
I would be upset if my success came at someone else’s expense. (R)
Antisocial (13 items)
I have been in a lot of shouting matches with other people.
I find myself in the same kinds of trouble, time after time.
When I get frustrated, I often “let off steam” by blowing my top.
I am often bored.
I quickly lose interest in tasks I start.
I am a bit of a rebel.
I like planning things out. (R)
I usually can’t keep out of trouble for too long.
Before I do anything, I carefully consider the possible consequences. (R)
I know rules are there, but I don’t tend to follow them.
I often do things before thinking them through.
I don’t plan anything very far in advance.
Getting into trouble doesn’t bother me.
Infrequency Validity (6 items)
I enjoy stealing from graves.
I am close personal friends with the prime minister of Zanzibar.
I make a point of only being friends with people born in August.
I am allergic to water.
When I see the color orange, I taste mustard.
I wrote three best-selling novels last year.
3.6 Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R)
Do not use this checklist. It conflates psychopathy with criminality and impulsiveness.
Glibness and superficial charm
Grandiose self-worth
Pathological lying
Cunning/manipulative
Lack of remorse or guilt
Shallow affect/emotional poverty
Callous/lack of empathy
Fails to accept responsibility for own actions
Needs stimulation/prone to boredom
Parasitic lifestyle
Poor behavioral controls
No realistic long-term goals
Impulsiveness
Irresponsible
Juvenile delinquency
Early behavior problems
Revocation of Conditional Release
Promiscuity
Many short-term marital relationships
Criminal versatility
3.7 Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits (ICU)
There is no agreed-upon factor structure in the literature. The items are grouped here in Ksenia’s proposed subscales.
Callosity–Unemotionality
1. I express my feelings openly. (R)
2. What I think is “right” and “wrong” is different from what other people think.
4. I do not care who I hurt to get what I want.
5. I feel bad or guilty when I do something wrong. (R)
6. I do not show my emotions to others.
8. I am concerned about the feelings of others. (R)
10. I do not let my feelings control me.
12. I seem very cold and uncaring to others.
14. It is easy for others to tell how I am feeling. (R)
16. I apologize (“say I am sorry”) to persons I hurt. (R)
17. I try not to hurt others’ feelings. (R)
18. I do not feel remorseful when I do something wrong.
19. I am very expressive and emotional. (R)
21. The feelings of others are unimportant to me.
22. I hide my feelings from others.
24. I do things to make others feel good. (R)
Irresponsability
3. I care about how well I do at school or work. (R)
7. I do not care about being on time.
9. I do not care if I get into trouble.
11. I do not care about doing things well.
13. I easily admit to being wrong. (R)
15. I always try my best. (R)
20. I do not like to put the time into doing things well.
23. I work hard on everything I do. (R)
3.8 Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)
Responses
Does not describe me well: 0
[No labels]
Describes me very well: 4
Fantasy – 7 items
1. I daydream and fantasize, with some regularity, about things that might happen to me.
5. I really get involved with the feelings of the characters in a novel.
7. I am usually objective when I watch a movie or play and I don’t often get completely caught up in it. (R)
12. Becoming extremely involved in a good book or movie is somewhat rare for me. (R)
16. After seeing a play or movie, I have felt as though I were one of the characters.
23. When I watch a good movie, I can very easily put myself in the place of a leading character.
26. When I am reading an interesting story or novel, I imagine how I would feel if the events in the story were happening to me.
Perspective Taking – 7 items
3. I sometimes find it difficult to see things from the “other guy’s” point of view. (R)
8. I try to look at everybody’s side of a disagreement before I make a decision.
11. I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective.
15. If I’m sure I’m right about something, I don’t waste much time listening to other people’s arguments. (R)
21. I believe that there are two sides to every question and try to look at them both.
25. When I’m upset at someone, I usually try to “put myself in his shoes” for a while.
28. Before criticizing somebody, I try to imagine how I would feel if I were in their place.
Empathic Concern – 7 items
2. I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.
4. Sometimes I don’t feel sorry for other people when they are having problems. (R)
9. When I see someone being taken advantage of, I feel kind of protective toward them.
14. Other people’s misfortunes do not usually disturb me a great deal. (R)
18. When I see someone being treated unfairly, I sometimes don’t feel very much pity for them. (R)
20. I am often quite touched by things that I see happen.
Personal Distress – 7 items
6. In emergency situations, I feel apprehensive and ill-at-ease.
10. I sometimes feel helpless when I am in the middle of a very emotional situation.
13. When I see someone get hurt, I tend to remain calm. (R)
17. Being in a tense emotional situation scares me.
19. I am usually pretty effective in dealing with emergencies. (R)
24. I tend to lose control during emergencies.
27. When I see someone who badly needs help in an emergency, I go to pieces.
3.9 Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI)
This is version 1.
Answers
False: 1
Mostly False: 2
Mostly True: 3
True: 4
Machievellian egocentricity (30 items)
11 (R) Being rich is much less important to me than enjoying the work I do.
20 I tell many “white lies.”
25 I often find myself resenting people who give me orders.
38 (R) If someone mistreats me, I’d rather try to forgive him or her than get even.
39 (R) It would bother me to cheat on an examination or assignment even if no-one got hurt in the process.
40 (R) I become deeply upset when I see photographs of starving people in Africa.
44 I become very angry if I do not receive special favors or privileges I feel I deserve.
51 I could make an effective “con artist” if the situation required it.
65 I always look out for my own interests before worrying about those of the other guy.
70 If I want to, I can influence other people without their realizing they are being manipulated.
75 Frankly, I believe that I am more important than most people.
96 I have sometimes “stood-up” a date or a friend because something that sounded like more fun came up.
100 (R) I can’t imagine being sexually involved with more than one person at the same time.
109 (R) I feel very bad about myself after telling a lie.
110 I enjoy watching violent scenes in movies.
122 In school or at work, I sometimes try to “stretch” the rules a little bit just to see how much I can get away with.
129 I’m good at flattering important people when it’s useful to do so.
133 When someone tells me what to do, I often feel like doing exactly the opposite just to spite them.
137 I usually enjoy seeing someone I don’t like get into trouble.
140 I like to (or would like to) wear expensive, “showy” clothing.
143 (R) I don’t take advantage of other people even when it’s clearly to my benefit.
150 To be perfectly honest, I usually try not to help people unless I think there’s some way that they can help me later.
152 I sometimes lie just to see if I can get someone to believe me.
153 I have to admit that I’m a bit of a materialist.
158 I often tell people only the part of the truth they want to hear.
166 I often lose my patience with people to whom I have to keep explaining things.
170 To be honest, how much I like someone depends a lot on how useful that person is to me.
173 I sometimes try to get others to “bend the rules” for me if I can’t change them any other way.
179 I quickly become very annoyed at people who do not give me what I want.
182 I will sometimes break a promise if it turns out to be inconvenient to keep.
Social potency (24 items)
1 With one smile, I can often make someone I’ve just met interested in getting to know me better.
3 Members of the opposite sex find me “sexy” and appealing.
7 Even when others are upset with me, I can usually win them over with my charm.
9 If I’m at a dull party or social gathering, I like to stir things up.
14 (R) I find it difficult to make small talk with people I do not know well.
18 (R) I rarely find myself being the center of attention in social situations.
22 I am a good conversationalist.
31 (R) It bothers me (or it would bother me) quite a bit to speak in front of a large group of strangers.
35 (R) It takes me a long time to get over embarrassing or humiliating experiences.
41 (R) I rarely monopolize conversations.
49 I almost always feel very sure of myself when I’m around other people.
54 I like to stand out in a crowd.
55 I’m not intimidated by anyone.
69 (R) I sometimes have difficulty standing up for my rights in social situations.
72 (R) I become embarrassed more easily than most people.
90 If I really wanted to, I could convince most people of just about anything.
102 I find it easy to go up to someone I’ve never met and introduce myself.
114 (R) I’m hardly ever the “life of the party.”
131 (R) I’m not very good at talking people into doing favors for me.
139 People are almost always impressed with me after they first meet me.
149 (R) When I’m among a group of people, I rarely end up being the leader.
155 (R) In social situations, I sometimes act the same way everyone else does because I don’t want to appear too different.
157 I can hold up my end of a conversation even if the topic is something I know almost nothing about.
185 I think that I would make a very good actor.
Fearlessness (19 items)
2 I like my life to be unpredictable, even a little surprising.
5 (R) Physically dangerous activities, such as sky-diving or climbing atop high places, frighten me more than they do most other people.
19 It might be fun to belong to a group of “bikers” (motorcyclists) who travel around the country and raise some hell.
26 I would find the job of movie stunt person exciting.
34 Many people think of me as a daredevil.
42 (R) Making a parachute jump would really frighten me.
59 I bet that it would be fun to pilot a small airplane alone.
85 When my life becomes boring, I like to take some chances to make things interesting.
98 (R) Looking down from a high place gives me “the jitters.”
107 I get a kick out of startling or scaring other people.
111 (R) I would not enjoy being a race-car driver.
116 I agree with the motto, “If you are bored with life, risk it.”
118 I enjoy (or I would enjoy) participating in sports involving a lot of physical contact (e.g., football, wrestling).
119 (R) I do not enjoy loud, wild parties and get-togethers.
142 I might enjoy flying across the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon.
154 I think that it might almost be exciting to be a passenger on a plane that appeared certain to crash, yet somehow managed to land safely.
172 I occasionally do something dangerous because someone has dared me to do it.
174 I am a “freewheeling”, spontaneous person.
181 If I were a fire-fighter, I think that I might actually enjoy the excitement of trying to rescue someone from the top floor of a burning building.
Coldheartedness (21 items)
13 (R) I sometimes worry about whether I might have accidentally hurt someone’s feelings.
21 (R) I often hold on to old objects or letters just for their sentimental value.
24 (R) I am so moved by certain experiences (e.g., watching a beautiful sunset, listening to a favorite piece of music) that I feel emotions that are beyond words.
28 (R) I hate having to tell people bad news.
32 (R) When I am faced with a decision involving moral matters, I often ask myself, “Am I doing the right thing?”
45 (R) I often find myself worrying when a friend is having serious personal problems.
47 (R) Keeping in touch with old friends is very important to me.
53 (R) I have had “crushes” on people that were so intense that they were painful.
58 (R) I am a guilt-prone person.
74 (R) It bothers me greatly when I see someone crying.
78 (R) I often place my friends’ needs above my own.
81 (R) I often become deeply attached to people I like.
88 When someone is hurt by something I say or do, I usually consider that to be their problem.
93 (R) Ending a friendship is (or would be) very painful for me.
95 (R) I often do favors for people even when I know that I will probably never see them again.
103 (R) I often feel very nostalgic when I think back to peaceful moments in my childhood.
128 (R) While watching a sporting event on TV, I sometimes wince when I see an athlete get badly injured.
130 (R) I sometimes become deeply angry when I hear about some of the injustices going on in the world.
132 (R) Seeing a poor or homeless person walking the streets at night could really break my heart.
163 (R) Some people probably think of me as a “hopeless romantic.”
175 (R) I sometimes become so involved in my daydreams or fantasies that I momentarily forget about everything else.
Impulsive nonconformity (17 items)
12 I’ve always considered myself to be something of a rebel.
16 I would not mind wearing my hair in a “Mohawk.”
37 I’ve never really cared much about society’s so called “values of right and wrong.”
46 I pride myself on being offbeat and unconventional.
52 I wouldn’t mind spending my life in a commune and writing poetry.
57 I would enjoy hitch-hiking my way across the United States with no prearranged plans.
79 (R) I like having my vacations carefully planned out.
84 I sometimes question authority figures “just for the hell of it.”
89 I like to dress differently from other people.
91 I get restless and disappointed if my life becomes too routine.
101 I’m never concerned about whether I’m following the “rules” in social situations; I just make my own rules.
124 I wouldn’t mind belonging to a group of people who “drift” from city to city, with no permanent home.
126 If I were growing up during the 1960’s, I probably would have been a “hippie” (Or, I was a “hippie” during the 1960’s).
146 I sometimes like to “thumb my nose” at established traditions.
151 Many people probably think of my political beliefs as “radical.”
178 (R) Fitting in and having things in common with other people my age has always been important to me.
187 I think that holding the same job for most of my life would be dull.
Alienation (18 items)
23 A lot of people in my life have tried to stab me in the back.
30 I would be more successful in life had I not received so many bad breaks.
33 From time to time I really “blow up” at other people.
36 (R) I usually feel that people give me the credit I deserve.
67 People have often criticized me unjustly (unfairly).
80 People whom I have trusted have often ended up “double-crossing” me.
82 I’ve been the victim of a lot of bad luck in my life.
92 (R) I generally feel that life has treated me fairly.
99 (R) I feel that few people in my life have taken advantage of me.
105 Some people seem to have gone out of their way to make life difficult for me.
113 I feel that very few people have ever understood me.
138 When I’m in a group of people who do something wrong, somehow it seems that I’m usually the one who ends up getting blamed.
141 In the past, people who were supposed to be my “friends” ended up getting me in trouble.
161 I’m sure that some people would be pleased to see me fail in life.
162 I frequently find that the way that others react to my behavior is very different from what I had expected.
165 I often get blamed for things that aren’t my fault.
167 Some people have made up stories about me to get me in trouble.
176 Some people have told me that I make too many excuses for myself.
Carefree nonplanfulness (20 items)
4 (R) I am very careful and cautious when doing work involving detail.
10 (R) I weigh the pros and cons of major decisions carefully before making them.
15 (R) I think a fair amount about my long-term career goals.
48 (R) I usually strive to be the best at whatever I do.
56 (R) Before I say something, I first like to think about it for a while.
62 I generally prefer to act first and think later.
64 I often make the same errors in judgment over and over again.
68 (R) I almost always promptly return items that I have borrowed from others.
77 (R) If I do something that caused me trouble, I’m sure to avoid doing it again.
87 (R) I’ve quickly learned from my major mistakes in life.
97 I haven’t thought much about what I want to do with my life.
104 (R) When I go to a restaurant, I carefully look over the menu before deciding what to order.
112 (R) I am careful about my manners when other people are around.
120 (R) I often push myself to my limits in my work.
148 (R) When I am doing something important (e.g., taking a test, doing my taxes) I usually check it over at least once or twice to make sure it is correct.
164 When a task gets too difficult, I don’t mind dropping it and moving on to something else.
177 (R) I am an ambitious person.
183 (R) People who know me well regard me as reliable, dependable, and trustworthy.
184 (R) I watch my finances closely.
186 (R) I often put off doing fun things so that I can finish my work.
Stress immunity (11 items)
6 (R) I tend to have a short temper when I am under stress.
60 When I want to, I can usually put fears and worries out of my mind.
63 (R) I am easily flustered in pressured situations.
73 When I’m in a frightening situation, I can “turn off” my fear almost at will.
86 (R) I tend to be “thin-skinned” and overly sensitive to criticism.
117 (R) I am a squeamish person.
121 (R) I am easily “rattled” at critical moments.
136 I can remain calm in situations that would make many other people panic.
144 (R) I’m the kind of person who gets “stressed out” pretty easily.
160 (R) I tend to get crabby and irritable when I have too many things to do.
169 (R) I sometimes get myself into a state of tension and turmoil as I think of the day’s events.
Total score (163 items)
This includes all previous items plus 3 additional ones that do not appear in any subscale:
123 On occasion, I’ve had to restrain myself from punching someone.
135 I prefer rude, but exciting people to nice, but boring people.
159 When I’m with a group of people who are having a serious conversation, I occasionally like to say something wild or outrageous just to be noticed.
DR (deviant responding) (10 items)
17 I occasionally forget my name.
29 I think that it should be against the law to seriously injure another person intentionally.
50 I look down at the ground whenever I hear an airplane flying above my head.
66 I smile at a funny joke at least once in a while.
76 I frequently have disturbing thoughts that become so intense and overpowering that I think I can hear claps of thunder or crashes of cymbals inside my head.
94 When I am under stress, I often see large, red, rectangular shapes moving in front of my eyes.
108 R I generally try to pay atention when someone important speaks to me directly.
127 R When a friend says hello to me, I generally either wave or say something back.
147 R During the day, I generally see the world in color rather than in black-and-white.
168 I occasionally have periods of several days or more during which I am uncertain whether I am awake or asleep.
MPQ unlikely virtues (14 items)
8 My table manners are not always perfect.
27 I have always been extremely courageous in facing difficult situations.
43 (R) At times I have been envious of someone.
61 Never in my whole life have I wished for anything that I was not entitled to.
71 My opinions are always completely reasonable.
83 (R) I have at times eaten too much.
106 I have always been completely fair to others.
115 (R) I have occasionally felt discouraged about something.
125 (R) I have at times been angry with someone.
134 I always tell the entire truth.
145 (R) Sometimes I’m a bit lazy.
156 Never in my whole life have I taken advantage of anyone.
171 (R) I have sometimes felt slightly hesitant about helping someone who asked me to.
180 I have never felt that I was better than someone else.
Total Score has 164 items (should be 163). The 1 spurious item is 83. 83 is part of MPQ Unlikely Virtues and it would make no sense to include in the main scale.
Alienation includes an item out of order: 3. This is a typing mistake. It should be 30 as noted in this forum post.
Fixed typograhpical error in item 181: “tip” → “top”.