When we think of the word “psychopath,” what usually comes to mind is media portrayals of crazed killers, the kind you see in “Psycho,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” But these images are far from what real psychopaths look like.

Most psychopaths, first and foremost, are not murderers. This is the good news.

The bad news is that this fact makes it harder to spot psychopaths in a crowd than you might think. (Hint: It’s probably not the crazy-eyed guy in a black coat walking down the deserted street.) Research suggests that 1% of the population meets the criteria for psychopathy. This may not seem like a lot, but it means that one in every 100 people you know is a psychopath. This could include your neighbor, co-worker, friend, or maybe even your favorite blogger. There’s probably someone sitting next to you as you read this.

To make matters worse, the percentage doubles or even quadruples when we talk about people in high-ranking positions, such as business leaders, lawyers, and surgeons.

With all these psychopaths walking around, how do you spot one? After all, the sooner you can recognize a psychopath in your midst, the less likely you are to become his or her victim. Fortunately, psychologists have conducted research on psychopathic personality traits for years, and although theories vary, most researchers tend to agree that psychopaths in the real world exhibit a combination of three personality characteristics.

This group is referred to as the Dark Triad because people with the traits often display harmful behaviors (e.g. crime, moral violations, etc.).

Here are three personality traits often found in psychopaths:

Machiavellianism

People high in Machiavellianism are duplicitous, cunning, and manipulative. They give higher priority than others to power, money, and winning. They easily ignore moral and social rules and, as a result, lie to and manipulate others without feeling guilty. Think Gordon Gekko from Wall Street or Frank and Claire Underwood from House of Cards.

For people with this trait, manipulating others is a drive, much like an alcoholic’s drive to drink. Sometimes this manipulation is done for personal gain (for example, to get a promotion), but other times it is done just for fun, or because they cannot stop themselves (for example, online trolling).

Depending on the type, the tools of the trade these people use are deception, guilt, bullying, feigned weakness, or flattery. Whatever their choice, they regularly use these tools in an attempt to distort the feelings and behaviors of those around them.

Since these people are master manipulators, they are often charming and likable, at least on a superficial level. They may pretend to care and be sympathetic for a short time, but this facade quickly fades, and it becomes clear that they only care about themselves.

A perfect literary example of this trait is Amy Dunne from Gone Girl, who (spoiler alert) goes out of her way to hurt the men in her life, even if their only sin is not giving her the attention she thought she deserved. Her special tools of manipulation are sex, lies, guilt, fame, and her carefully crafted diary. Even readers are fooled by Amy’s lies, and it’s not until halfway through the book that we see her for what she is – a master manipulator.

Lack of conscience or empathy

You know that little voice in your head that tells you to return a found wallet or treat others the way you want to be treated? People with high levels of psychopathy do not have this voice, or if they do, its volume is extremely low. As a result, they lack many social feelings that others take for granted, including guilt, remorse, empathy, and compassion.

It is this lack of conscience that enables psychopaths to engage in behaviors that others might secretly imagine but never do. When someone hurts us or makes us angry, we may think: “I want to punch him!” Or “I can kill him!” But we never will. Psychopaths don’t have a brake pedal: if they wanted to do it, they might already do it.

This points to another trait associated with psychopathy: decreased impulse control. People with high levels of psychopathy can be quick to become violent and aggressive; May have many casual sex partners; They tend to engage in riskier or riskier behaviors than others. One of their mottos is “Act first, think later.”

Once again, Flynn gives an excellent representation of this trait with Amy Dunne. Amy is cold and sensitive – almost reptilian in her lack of empathy. She seems to lack any sense of right and wrong or empathy for what she puts out to others. Instead, she has a calculated and practical nature, whether lying to the police or eliminating a human obstacle. Through her actions and lack of emotions, the reader finally sees that Amy is an icy beauty who lacks even a hint of warmth or humanity beneath the surface.

Narcissism

People with a high degree of narcissism are selfish and have an inflated sense of their qualities and accomplishments. Any flaws they may have, they refuse to see in themselves and instead may project them onto those around them. For example, a narcissist who secretly worries that she is not smart enough will accuse those around her of being stupid as a way to boost her ego.

Narcissists love compliments and will lavish praise on anyone who admires or affirms them. The other side of this coin means that they are very sensitive to insults and often respond to criticism with extreme anger and revenge. They have what psychologists refer to as “unstable self-esteem.” This means that they put themselves on a very high pedestal, but it doesn’t take much to bring them down to the ground. What others may consider constructive criticism, narcissists see as a declaration of war.

Because of their focus on themselves, they do not get along well with others. They have problems maintaining healthy and satisfying relationships, so they tend to seek positions of authority where they can work alongside their colleagues, rather than alongside them. This authority also helps, because narcissists never blame themselves for their problems. It’s always someone else’s fault.

There are many examples of narcissists in popular literature (and in historical literature), but in my opinion, the person who fits this description, in a vague and atypical way, is the character Annie Wilkes from the novel Misery. Annie does not immediately come across as arrogant or boastful (although her claim to be Paul Sheldon’s “number one fan” is a nod to her inflated sense of self).

But as the book develops, we are exposed to her constant complaints about the world and those in it. These rants prove that she sees herself as superior. Everyone else is a “dirty lying bird,” and anyone who falls into this category is undeserving of compassion or even basic human dignity. Annie is an excellent example of how narcissism (or any of these three traits) can be integrated into a character in a way that is subtle and unique but still clearly present.

Remember: Being high on one of these traits does not mean a person is mentally ill. People can be risk-seeking, or arrogant, and not engage in malicious behavior. Some research suggests that real-world heroes share some, but not all, of these traits. What matters is a combination of the three: real-world psychopaths are the perfect storm of selfishness, manipulation, and unscrupulousness.

Here are three personality traits often found in psychopaths:

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