How Psychopaths Deceive And Dominate: 16 Essential Studies (P)

Forget Hollywood portrayals of cunning masterminds – psychopaths on average are not that smart, although they can be surprisingly subtle, especially when female.

Are psychopaths born or bred? Can they ever change? How clever are they really? And can they ever be 'successful' in society?

The answers matter because some estimates suggest that almost one in twenty people are psychopaths, while as many as one in three have at least some psychopathic traits.

This article, revised and updated in April 2026, draws on 16 studies to explore how psychopathic tendencies develop, how they affect the mind, emotions and behaviour, as well as how they survive 'in the wild'.

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Author: Dr Jeremy Dean

Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology. He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004.