Study identifies where psychopaths are most likely to live
The comprehensive study, published in the scientific journal PNAS, analyzed data on 1.8 million people in 183 countries and 144,000 people across the United States.
It linked averse social conditions, including poverty, inequality and violence, with 'The Dark Factor of Personality.'
Watch: Guest sits on 'Van Gogh chair' at Italy museum, breaking it
Researchers used World Bank data for worldwide corruption estimates, while the U.S. was formulated using Census Bureau data on inequality and poverty, Justice Department corruption convictions and FBI homicide rates.
Ingo Zettler, one of three researchers behind the study, told the University of Copenhagen that where these conditions were observed, people behaved accordingly.
'In societies where rules are broken without consequences and where the conditions for many citizens are bad, individuals perceive and learn that one should actually think of oneself first,' Zettler said.
Some of the standout states for 'dark' personalities included:
Louisiana
Mississippi
Texas
Nevada
South Dakota
New York
The least were observed in:
Utah
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Oregon
Alaska
Countries that topped the list included Indonesia, Mexico and the U.S.
Man finds out he was married without his knowledge, ex arrested
Researchers acknowledged that the study has some limitations. It's impossible for them to know how long participants have lived in certain countries or states before personality tendencies developed, and some data was collected using self-selection services, which could result in inaccurate answers.
But Zettler said their work shows a connection between personality and circumstance and could prove important in shaping the world.
'This means that reforms that reduce corruption and inequality not only create better living conditions just now – they may also contribute to mitigating aversive personality levels among the citizens in the future,' he told the university.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
23 minutes ago
- CBS News
How to get back to a regular sleep schedule on time ahead of back-to-school season
Back-to-school means getting back on a regular sleep schedule, which isn't so easy after a summer of fun. Doctors said getting a good night's sleep is critical for students, and getting back on their sleep schedule should happen before school starts. Nikkya Hargrove's family has their back-to-school strategy all tucked in. "So, the week before school starts, we push back their bedtime about 30 minutes," she said. Gradually recalibrating that bedtime, doctors said, is crucial after a fun-filled summer when schedules are often looser. "I know as we're preparing for this, it's a stressful time for families. Your whole schedule is going to change as your kids get ready to go back to school," said Dr. Christopher Cielo, medical director in the Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "We know that sleep's really important in the lives of children," said Cielo. "It can affect their mood, can affect their behavior, and can affect other health conditions that they have. And it affects virtually every aspect of their everyday life." The amount of sleep kids need depends on their age. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, preschoolers need up to 13 hours a day, including naps. Children aged six to 12 should sleep nine to 12 hours and teenagers benefit from eight to 10 hours a night. Doctors said it's important to keep a consistent evening routine, going to bed at the same time and staying away from electronics. "The light that comes out of the screen, and this is true for computer screens, televisions, mobile phones, can actually wake your brain up and sort of trick your brain into thinking that it's daytime and make it harder to go to sleep," Cielo said. Doctors said it's good advice for kids and parents alike. Hargrove said her twins have learned what happens when they stay up too late. "They get to recognize how they feel the next day when they wake up," she said. "And if they're groggy and they don't like how they feel, then they know, OK, I have to go to bed earlier."
Bloomberg
24 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
UnitedHealth, Elevance Set to Exit Colorado ACA Health Plans
UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Elevance Health Inc. told Colorado regulators they will exit some individual health plans in the state, the latest sign of instability in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The plan exits would mean 96,000 Coloradans would have to find new coverage next year, according to a news release from the state's Division of Insurance.
Associated Press
24 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Near-term chances of an eruption at Alaska's Mount Spurr volcano now considered 'extremely low'
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Officials lowered the alert level for a volcano near Alaska's largest city to normal Wednesday, which they said indicates that Mount Spurr is 'quiet' months after showing signs of activity that raised the possibility of an eruption. Over the past few months, signs of unrest at the 11,070-foot (3,374-meter) volcano near Anchorage have gradually decreased, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, which added that no ground deformation has been detected since March. The observatory characterized the near-term chances of an eruption as 'extremely low.' It said small earthquakes continued to occur more frequently than before a period of unrest began in early 2024, and that volcanic gases were still being released. But the center said this is normal for volcanoes where magma has moved upward but has not erupted. 'Minor gas emissions and a slightly higher number of small earthquakes could persist for many months to several years,' the observatory said. Mount Spurr is one of 53 volcanoes in Alaska that have been active within the last 250 years. The volcano has two main vents: the last known eruption from the summit vent was more than 5,000 years ago, while there were eruptions from the Crater Peak vent in 1953 and 1992, the observatory has said. In October, the observatory raised its alert status for Mount Spurr from green, or normal, to a yellow advisory status when an increase in seismic activity became pronounced and a ground deformation was spotted in satellite data. In March, the observatory said it had measured 'significantly elevated volcanic gas emissions' from Mount Spurr and said signs indicated an eruption was likely, though not certain, in the weeks or months ahead. That prompted Anchorage's mayor to encourage residents to be prepared in case of an eruption that could produce ashfall in the city. Anchorage is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) from the volcano. Volcanic ash is angular and sharp and has been used as an industrial abrasive. The powdered rock can cause a jet engine to shut down.
