FBI agent explains whether you can spot a psychopath after revealing the most dangerous personality type

An ex ‘spy-catcher’ and FBI investigator has revealed whether it’s possible to identify a psychopath, after he shared that shockingly, it’s not the most dangerous personality type.

Now, as per the BBC, it’s estimated that roughly 1 in 100 people fall into the category of psychopathy - that’s right, you could be walking past a secret Patrick Bateman in the street and have absolutely no idea… or could you?

Joe Navarro, who was an FBI special agent for 25 years, sat down with LADBible Stories to delve into this dark world, and answered the question we all want to know.

When quizzed on whether it’s ever possible to spot a psychopath, the expert explained that the answer is a complex one.

Navarro said: “Not really, because you have some that are very functional.

“Ted Bundy was a psychopath and very handsome, very good looking. He was very erudite, the judges loved him, but, you know, if he was walking down the street, could you point and say, well, there goes a psychopath?”

He outlined: “Now, you really have to observe their behaviours and how they treat others and how they view others and whether or not they have a conscience.”

We’re talking about signs like a lack of empathy and remorse, superficial charm, and impulsive or manipulative behaviours.

Emma Kenny, a psychologist and true crime TV and podcast presenter, previously told Tyla that one of the biggest indicators of a psychopath is not simply a lack of emotion, but ‘a lack of emotional accountability’.

She explained: "A person with strong psychopathic traits may hurt, exploit, betray, or humiliate others, yet show little genuine guilt.

"They may apologise when it benefits them, but the apology often feels strategic rather than sincere."

It comes after Navarro also dropped the bombshell that, contrary to popular belief, psychopathy is not the most dangerous personality trait, but instead it's ‘malignant narcissists’ who actually do the most damage.

Psychologists agree that certain patterns of behaviour are associated with psychopathy (Lionsgate)

The former ‘spy-catcher’ explained: “You know, I wrote about this in my book Dangerous Personality. One percent of the population are psychopaths, and these are people that clearly have no conscience.

“They're not bound by rules or by the letter of the law. And they tend to be the ones that you see coming through the system, ending up in jail over and over, doing terrible things.”

He continued: “But I have to say from the mail that I have received over the last 10 or 12 years since writing that book, that the malignant narcissist is probably the one that does the most damage on an interpersonal level, where you have a person, the malignant narcissist, overvaluing themselves and devaluing others, and that discrepancy causes great harm.”

Malignant narcissism, as per Help Guide, is a severe type of narcissistic personality disorder that combines grandiosity with sadistic behaviour and is considered by many experts to be the most severe type of narcissism.

Worryingly, it combines ‘the usual symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, such as high self-importance, with paranoia, sadism, and antisocial behaviours’.

Navarro warned: “I have to say that most of the time it's male-directed at female, and the effects - psychological effects, emotional effects, as well as financial effects are really quite numerous and quite devastating.

“So while certain criminals that, you know, rob banks and rob people tend to be in the area of psychopathy or sociopathy, the malignant narcissist tends to do, I think, the most interpersonal damage.”

You can watch the full interview on LADbible’s YouTube channel here.