Are YOU a ‘career psychopath’ like Dominic Cummings? Take our quiz to find out
YOU might think a psycho is someone who knifes you from behind a shower curtain.
But they can be far trickier to spot and come in many forms. They can be charming, ruthless, manipulative and very successful.
Boris Johnson’s ex-aide Dominic Cummings, who has some of those traits, was this week described as a “career psychopath”.
Other traits are lies, risk-taking and lack of remorse.
Dr Kevin Dutton, author of The Wisdom Of Psychopaths, believes ruthless chief executives and lawyers are likely candidates.
He also thinks top politicians are “going to be high on the psychopathic levels”, as they make life-or-death decisions.
But in everyday life, the tell-tale traits are not so easy to assess.
A psycho may be next to you at work and neither of you will know. Or could you be one?
To see how psychopathic you are, take Dr Dutton’s test below.
If you strongly agree with a question, give yourself three points, if you agree two points, disagree one point and strongly disagree zero points.
Your rating is explained below the quiz.
YOU rarely catch me making any plans, I’m far too spontaneous.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
I’D have no problem cheating on my partner if I knew I could get away with it.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
IF I got a better offer, I wouldn’t mind cancelling long-standing plans.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
I DON’T get bothered by seeing animals injured or in pain.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
IT would be fun to drive fast cars, ride rollercoasters and go skydiving.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
I THINK it’s OK to step over other people in order to achieve my own ambitions.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
I’M very persuasive, and getting people to do what I want is a real talent of mine.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
MY ability to come to quick decisions means I would be suited to a dangerous job.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
WHEN the people around me are crumbling under pressure, I’m usually the one with a cool head.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
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I’M rarely to blame for things going wrong, it’s usually the fault of the people around me.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
'Can be handy in your job'
IF you are a bit psycho, try not to worry too much, there are times when a killer focus can come in handy.
Dr Dutton explains: “When most people hear the word psychopath they think of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs or serial killer Ted Bundy in real life.
“When psychologists talk about psychopathy there are key traits including ruthlessness, fearlessness, mental toughness, self-confid-ence, coolness under pressure, emotional detachment and deficits in social consciousness.
“All of those traits dialled up to the right level and deployed within the right situation can bring success. There are always going to be certain types of professions which require precision engineered psychopathy. At the right level these characteristics can be helpful.
“But it is a problem if you display some of them in your personal life with your family.
“You need to be able to turn your levels up and down like you would on the dials of a music studio mixing desk. The psychopaths you see in prison have them stuck on high or maximum and can’t regulate them.
“On the other hand, some people have them stuck too low and are unable to be assertive when needed.”
- Black And White Thinking by Dr Kevin Dutton (@TheRealDrKev) is out now, £9.99.
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IF someone gets conned, who cares? They were asking for it.
Strongly agree,
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
HOW DO YOU RATE ON THE PSYCHO SCALE?
0-11: Low chance of being a psychopath.
12-17: Below Average.
18-22: Average.
23-28: High.
29-33: Very High. It is important that you should not take this as a diagnosis.