Entertainment

Psychiatrist Debunks The Biggest Psychopath Myths on Reddit

Are psychopaths always dangerous? Can an online test tell you if you are one? Is your boss secretly a psychopath? Dr. Eric Bender dives into Reddit to separate psychopathy fact from fiction, covering the brain science, the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths, the myths that won’t die, and which movie psychopaths Hollywood actually got right.…

Published

on

Are psychopaths always dangerous? Can an online test tell you if you are one? Is your boss secretly a psychopath? Dr. Eric Bender dives into Reddit to separate psychopathy fact from fiction, covering the brain science, the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths, the myths that won’t die, and which movie psychopaths Hollywood actually got right.

Follow Dr. Eric Bender as he destigmatizes mental illness and explores mental health in TV, movies, and pop culture:
YouTube:
Instagram:
Facebook:
Website:

Download the WIRED app:

0:00 Rabbit Hole: Psychopathy
0:21 What is psychopathy?
1:18 Are psychopaths always dangerous?
1:41 The most realistic movie psychopaths
3:37 “Psycho” vs. psychotic
4:45 Signs someone might be a psychopath
5:11 The MacDonald triad myth
6:15 Inside the psychopathic brain
7:36 Are all psychopaths sadists?
7:58 Do serial killers without psychopathy exist?
9:29 Are most CEOs really psychopaths?
10:17 Is there a psychopath test?
11:44 Sociopath vs. psychopath
13:30 Do psychopaths know they’re psychopaths?

Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►►
Download the WIRED app:
Listen to the Uncanny Valley podcast ►►
Want more WIRED? Get the magazine ►►

Follow WIRED:
Instagram ►►
Twitter ►►
Facebook ►►
Tik Tok ►►

ABOUT WIRED
WIRED is where tomorrow is realized.

187 Comments

  1. @8kayplays

    September 23, 2026 at 6:41 pm

    What a bunch of bunk.

  2. @zacharycollinss-w7d

    September 23, 2026 at 6:42 pm

    I’m doctor and The Secrets of Natural Healing by James Stone reminded me most of this video. It’s one I suggest all my patients to read.

  3. @srcastic333

    September 23, 2026 at 6:46 pm

    Many people are hardy and insensitive, and enjoy the schadenfreude of those with whom they feel competitive, and these people are often uncategorized by psychology, or at least not far enough into ASPD to be diagnosed

  4. @lowbudgetmic

    September 23, 2026 at 6:47 pm

    Psycho crusher 😮😮😮

  5. @ArxxWyvnClaw

    September 23, 2026 at 7:08 pm

    Im waiting for a Psychopath Debunks video

  6. @squirlmy

    September 23, 2026 at 7:12 pm

    2:42 bold choice to call out Anton Shagor for his haircut. Glass houses Eric, glass houses.

  7. @FirstNameLastName-m8m

    September 23, 2026 at 7:15 pm

    Sociopathies of vest, side part, thick tie, tortoise shell, watch on wrist. Flagellatory grasping towards the charred remains of “clinical authority”

  8. @michaelcalibri3620

    September 23, 2026 at 7:19 pm

    I’m not worried about discerning who’s a psychopath or not, I’m paying attention to the people and cui bono aspects of those who are meant to make one anti-psychopathy fully knowing the world is dominated by psychopaths and sociopaths. Its absolutely programming, scaring others into rule structures so others can exploit and derive greater yield by less competition in violation.

  9. @DaveE99

    September 23, 2026 at 7:20 pm

    The problem with the idea that CEOs are psychopathic is that share holder governance incentives are them selves not relations nd not compatiable with the populations long term needs and goals. We always made the case that capitalism wins because it process information better than a centralized industrial non compute model of central governance that just would have overwhelm and long latency for reacting. But the problem is what we chose instead doesn’t have the incentives to process information in away that prioritizes our long term needs. If a governance system can’t do that it inevitably destroys meaning too

  10. @morgane1484

    September 23, 2026 at 7:21 pm

    Wired, please dont use ai summaries

  11. @ddawg1440

    September 23, 2026 at 7:51 pm

    trump is a psychopath

  12. @ssfourvegeta

    September 23, 2026 at 8:00 pm

    Best depiction of psychopathy in TV I have ever seen is House MD. The only thing missing is to make it the most realistic would be if he wasn’t super smart and actually worked at walmart or something

  13. @LoMdeP

    September 23, 2026 at 8:06 pm

    Is a creature like a xenomorph psychopathic? They’re not bred with emotions similar to ours….

  14. @JohnnyPeachPit

    September 23, 2026 at 8:08 pm

    I wish psychiatrists were more courageous about pointing to Trump as an example. I realize the ethics of their profession has settled on the rule that they don’t “out” people, but at what point is staying silent the greater evil?

  15. @solaireofastora295

    September 23, 2026 at 8:09 pm

    5:10 such a weird thing to include 👎 trying to learn not hear political stuff.

    • @maxtowfighi4181

      September 23, 2026 at 8:22 pm

      And you didn’t he didn’t touch that one 😂

  16. @SinisterElephant

    September 23, 2026 at 8:15 pm

    Disappointingly Dr. Eric Bender didn’t even address: Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, better
    Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away, oh-oh-oh

  17. @Rembrant65

    September 23, 2026 at 8:28 pm

    TLDR. It’s complicated and you have to do the reading.

  18. @cowboymaxwell

    September 23, 2026 at 8:43 pm

    yay debunking

  19. @fatblond79

    September 23, 2026 at 8:54 pm

    Haven’t watched the video, but I bet its the dead bodies.

  20. @T1-팬들은-정신병자다

    September 23, 2026 at 9:02 pm

    “I’m not touching that one” 😂 I wouldn’t too. You’ll get jumped by that cult

  21. @GizmoaGames

    September 23, 2026 at 9:03 pm

    They exist because they benefit as long as not too many others exist. Eventually they’ll become too numerous of the population and they will be very very strong incentives for them to stop existing. Evolution doesn’t care about the long-term, it’s just what’s beneficial in the short run, so they can actually cause the extinction of an entire species hypothetically speaking. You get equivalent types of behaviors in all social animals.

  22. @ObservantWasi

    September 23, 2026 at 9:17 pm

    I think lack of remorse and lack of responsibility is definitely dangerous when it comes to family dynamics.

  23. @cobrah1068

    September 23, 2026 at 9:23 pm

    If someone tells you that Psychopathy isn’t in the DSM-5, then they haven’t read the DSM-5

  24. @gacchan

    September 23, 2026 at 9:24 pm

    Dr. Bender is amazing

  25. @annehersey9895

    September 23, 2026 at 9:25 pm

    I’ve found that non-violent Psychopaths make great sales people. Many are charming and personable and great Lakers because they c@n tailor their conversation to mirror what the prospective buyer is saying. Ted Bundy was intelligent, charming and witty and when studying the personality of Hitler, the most repeated word used by people who knew or met him was charming.

  26. @SkeleVale

    September 24, 2026 at 11:09 am

    me, sitting here with BPD stressing out if im actually a psychopath: this video, within the first 30 seconds: “they lack remorse….” nope not me then lmao

    • @pschom3

      September 24, 2026 at 3:10 pm

      Also, you probably lack the childhood markers of psychopathy

  27. @MichaelH.-kk7kd

    September 24, 2026 at 11:22 am

    Donald Trump scores 10 out of 10 for all 22 questions on the Hare check list.

  28. @pschom3

    September 24, 2026 at 11:45 am

    Very few people know that I am a psychopath, and those only because I told them. I was diagnosed during a research project, and I have many markers in my childhood – fire-setting, stealing, vandalism, lying for gain, manipulating adults to get out of trouble, fights, etc. I also learned to keep just under the radar of the criminal justice system

    There is evidently nothing in my behavior, appearance, or mannerisms that clue people into the fact. The only noticeable thing, if you were watching carefully, is that I react abnormally to some kinds of bad events or information. If we were standing in a group, and somebody rushed up spattered in blood and said that our friend had been hit by a bus, everyone except me would almost instantly show distress signals: gasp, vocalize, slap a hand to their mouth, etc. I would just be curious, and then within a few seconds, I would mask concern and alarm like everyone else. In the meantime, I would be considering the facts, and I might wonder if their parking spot was going to be up for grabs, or that I no longer needed to pay them back for a lunch they bought.

    In practice, I am less of an arsehole than most people, and do more good deeds than most, but that’s because I have my own internal code of conduct, not because I really care for other people

  29. @johnwall7190

    September 24, 2026 at 11:50 am

    so the psychiatrist that literally took time out of their day to dress as a 50s england commoner isnt mentally ill also? we dont see any narcisim or crazy traits there also? lmfao massive echo chamber for idiots

  30. @TheDJGlucose

    September 24, 2026 at 12:21 pm

    This video is for the laptops out there

  31. @omgitzpaige2013

    September 24, 2026 at 12:24 pm

    I’m stuck on wondering the cultural significance of the US having a 5 point higher threshold of score on the psychopath test than Europe

    • @pschom3

      September 24, 2026 at 3:09 pm

      Europe generally has higher standards for most things

  32. @HeilTheOldGods

    September 24, 2026 at 12:26 pm

    So blacks are psychopaths

    • @pschom3

      September 24, 2026 at 3:08 pm

      Are you just generally stupid, or is today special?

  33. @User-54631

    September 24, 2026 at 12:31 pm

    I wish he would explain the mechanism of the causes vs this area does xyz.
    What is the mechanism of xyz. Wait…..I can harm people and say society made me do it? I gotta go see someone.

  34. @DeimosVoralius

    September 24, 2026 at 12:42 pm

    You put a ballroom where a section of the white house was, and gaslight everyone about it.

  35. @Lupilay-y7u

    September 24, 2026 at 12:54 pm

    6:30 10:00

  36. @making_smart_fun

    September 24, 2026 at 1:01 pm

    Oh no, psychopaths are ALWAYS dangerous. Maybe not all of them are killers, but they ALWAYS do great harm to almost everyone in their personal lives

    • @pschom3

      September 24, 2026 at 3:07 pm

      Yes and no.
      I am a psychopath, and I harm very few people, and very seldom, with only one caveat – I am actually a toxic spouse, because I can be indifferent, dismissive, and just forget to engage. I am instinctively secretive about my own thoughts, and I can sometimes just “not be there”.

    • @making_smart_fun

      September 24, 2026 at 3:24 pm

      @pschom3 Of course, if others don’t concern you personally then I understand you don’t necessarily hurt them. But if you’re a psychpath and someone is close to you you will. I also think that if you’re a psychopath you use what you know about them against them for deflection, am I right?

  37. @TheAngryAutisticArsehole

    September 24, 2026 at 1:06 pm

    Psychology is a bunk science.

    Neuropsychology and evolution explain psychopathy very well.

    Humans needed tribe members who would not engage in flight or freeze when an animal attacked. They needed people who could engage in violent hunts without suffering psychological trauma disorders afterwards, or be too afraid to fight.

    Modernity is the problem, not the neuropsychology.

    Heck, it explains ADHD, Autism, Bipolar, and schizophrenia too. Basically all the neurological variations fit into the species when viewed in the species context, and not the societal one.

    It has only been about 15,000 years, the people who fit into modern society perfectly well are the weird ones.

  38. @dronegirl7539

    September 24, 2026 at 1:26 pm

    The movie, We need to talk about Kevin, was probably a pretty accurate portrayal of a psychopath.

  39. @JYOTISH_.

    September 24, 2026 at 1:37 pm

    || IN MOST CASES WHEN SKILLED TRAINED PROFESSIONALS ARE CHARACTERISING PSYCHOPATHY THEY COMPLETELY DO NOT TALK ABOUT OR MENTION COMPASSION AND EMPATHY ||

    || THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN PERSONALITY FLAW BECAUSE IT IS THE HUMAN BEING TRAINED TO TELL US THIS MAN OR WOMAN IS HURTFUL AND ABUSIVE SO EVENTUALLY THEY COULD BE PSYCHOPATHIC ||

    || IF LIKE ME A HUMAN IDENTIFIES WITH COMPASSION OR EMPATHY THAT IS THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY HUMAN SUFFERS AND HAVING A DEEP SENSE TO SOLVE THAT SUFFERING ||

    || COMPASSION IS CARING ENOUGH TO SOLVE ANOTHER HUMANS SUFFERING ||

  40. @EnwardHiggins

    September 24, 2026 at 1:44 pm

    Psychiatrists are just drug peddlers btw. This guy is as much of a doctor as a pharmacist is.

  41. @isabellagigek

    September 24, 2026 at 2:16 pm

    10:57 whoa, that’s really interesting how the tolerance levels of the test are higher in USA than in Europe. I’m not an expert, but I would guess it’s because americans usually have a pro-individuality and competitive driven education.

  42. @helmaquin

    September 24, 2026 at 2:37 pm

    Having OCD, I just want to move that one strand to the side. ARGH. I actually had to just listen instead of watch the video. 🥲

  43. @JohnBatcheller

    September 24, 2026 at 2:54 pm

    The end of the vid asks what is the evolutionary advantage of psychopathy. High stress jobs would be a good place to have a higher level of psychopathy, such as airline pilot, fire fighter, or surgeon, where a person more sensitive to their emotions would lose their cool.

  44. @Bobsgerbilstore

    September 24, 2026 at 4:07 pm

    I was diagnosed with ASPD while I was hospitalized several years ago but I wonder if that’s just where my mind was at the time because I’m very rule oriented today and I pay my bills and fines and practice strong business ethics. I can also cry about things that aren’t directly affecting me.

  45. @shuhween

    September 24, 2026 at 4:34 pm

    WHAT was the purpose of AI here? Yuck, Wired. Embarrassing.

  46. @LimbicNudge

    September 24, 2026 at 4:40 pm

    So if psychopaths exist evolutionarily to keep the rest of us alert, checking the front door lock twice before bed is basically me doing my part for the species.

  47. @stuffhere3462

    September 24, 2026 at 5:16 pm

    daemon targrayen

  48. @ChelseaATea

    September 24, 2026 at 5:52 pm

    I could listen to Dr. Bender all day!

  49. @JasonBeghe-h6n

    September 24, 2026 at 9:15 pm

    Psychedelics/psilocybin containing mushroom have proven a to be a reliable cure for depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar, OCD, insomnia, and other related disorders. Saved my life honestly.

    • @MackJohn-p4x

      September 24, 2026 at 9:16 pm

      Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!

    • @WilliamEdward-p3f

      September 24, 2026 at 9:20 pm

      When it comes to shrooms or any other psychs, Jaxshroomies is your guy. Just research the name.
      You’d find details

    • @LucasJoseph-w1z

      September 24, 2026 at 9:21 pm

      As someone with that life long struggle I want to tell you depression is a completely acceptable emotional response to what we are experiencing lately. It’s depressing.

    • @Moy-e2u5s

      September 24, 2026 at 9:25 pm

      Can I find he’s information on Google?

  50. @NETFILX-0

    September 24, 2026 at 9:26 pm

    I was diagnosed with anti social personality disorder while I was incarcerated at the age of 15

  51. @cestusfr

    September 25, 2026 at 4:11 am

    Serious question: Is President Trump a narcissist? if yes, where on the spectrum?

    • @errigr

      September 25, 2026 at 12:46 pm

      I’d wager almost every president we’ve ever had is a Narcissist. Most politicians in general too. But I’m not an expert by any means. Just my opinion.

    • @LauraMolina-LaDiabla

      September 25, 2026 at 3:11 pm

      @errigr There is such a thing as “situational narcissism”. That might apply to some politicians.

  52. @mjmulenga3

    September 25, 2026 at 5:04 am

    0:12 No. We’re not always dangerous. 😌

  53. @Heakz

    September 25, 2026 at 6:11 am

    10:51 So what your saying is that Americans are 5 points or in other words 20% more psychopathic than Europeans? That tracks. 🤣

  54. @simmyz

    September 25, 2026 at 6:28 am

    hope for psychopaths to deal with the narcissists

  55. @11ellie7

    September 25, 2026 at 7:52 am

    He’s so hot he’s kinda giving 1940s German psychiatrist vibes with that hair though

    • @errigr

      September 25, 2026 at 12:47 pm

      I was thinking evil German dentist that pulls your teeth to get you talk

    • @11ellie7

      September 25, 2026 at 3:15 pm

      @errigr totally! He just has a very German medical professional look

  56. @nwbasson

    September 25, 2026 at 8:48 am

    What I’ve learned is that Reddit is a great place to get opinions and not facts.

  57. @Flopperdilly

    September 25, 2026 at 8:55 am

    “That’s enough Reddit for me, for today.” -Words to live by

    • @errigr

      September 25, 2026 at 12:44 pm

      0 minutes on Reddit is enough Reddit for me

    • @Flopperdilly

      September 25, 2026 at 12:44 pm

      ​@errigr I envy you.

  58. @grahamhughes5083

    September 25, 2026 at 9:32 am

    What you touch on about a sociopath possibly having the same innate traits as a psychopath, but just lacked the childhood experiences to “activate” them reminds me a lot of something James Fallon said in an interview. He was talking about knowing he had these brain characteristics but not the extreme behaviour, and connected that with his childhood experiences of a warm and loving family. Perhaps the difference between psychopathy and sociopathy is no more than the point in life when “activation” of the traits occurs?

  59. @user-db3xu1hw7r

    September 25, 2026 at 9:47 am

    “and his haircut didn’t help”

    yeah…. about that…..

  60. @naegling3

    September 25, 2026 at 9:47 am

    stigmatized inaccurate portrayal of these pathologies by somebody who doesn’t treat them

  61. @blaginbagin

    September 25, 2026 at 10:45 am

    So Americans have to score over 30 on the test but Europeans only 25? Does that mean American culture naturally includes more psychopathic traits than European?

  62. @rtpfixit

    September 25, 2026 at 11:29 am

    0:11 obligatory Anton Chigurh

    • @errigr

      September 25, 2026 at 12:43 pm

      One of the best movies ever made.

  63. @Mike_Regan

    September 25, 2026 at 12:17 pm

    Huh. Can’t think of anyone who meets these criteria…

  64. @errigr

    September 25, 2026 at 12:42 pm

    I agree with him on Chigurh. No Country for Old Men is one of the best movies ever made. Definitely in my top 5 best movies. If you haven’t seen and like Suspense movies with outstanding dialogue, you have to see it.

  65. @Desperadox23

    September 25, 2026 at 12:55 pm

    So in the US a higher level of sociopathic traits are accepted as normal as in Europe? Interesting.

  66. @KDeanie

    September 25, 2026 at 3:09 pm

    14:36 omg BARB

  67. @Fools_Requiem

    September 25, 2026 at 3:15 pm

    I know Amy Dunne in Gone Girl is mentioned, but I’ve long felt that Nick Dunne, the husband, is also a sociopath because there’s a complete lack of care. It might just be that Ben Affleck is a generally emotionless actor, but the way he portrays Nick suggests he has a level sociopathy.

  68. @leifharmsen

    September 25, 2026 at 4:02 pm

    That lady who buts ahead in the duty free line. Yes, that one.

  69. @turningofhistory

    September 25, 2026 at 4:08 pm

    I wasn’t ready for Jimmy Fallon to be a neuroscientist.

  70. @Oana_and_Co

    September 25, 2026 at 4:37 pm

    What is it about psychopaths that gives them that evil look on their face, though? Like resting-evil-face. The wide eyes and the sadistic smirk?

  71. @One337x

    September 25, 2026 at 6:11 pm

    The black background is great. The speed at which everything moves is not. It feels too distracting like a YouTube short. I can’t even follow what he’s saying.

    I don’t even understand why but, I don’t even know when he’s moved onto a new question. The other formats were considerably better to follow.

    Don’t get me wrong the editing is beautiful. It’s just too fast paced for the type of content I’m watching. I’m here for him, not for the editing.

    Feels like my attention span is being groped.

  72. @jakebuster522

    September 25, 2026 at 6:40 pm

    um your basically responding to stupid people make a video for smart people

  73. @Edward-g1q5d

    September 25, 2026 at 7:28 pm

    This smug idiot has no idea.

  74. @missjustice2730

    September 25, 2026 at 7:33 pm

    Many Unis in Australia use the movie

    We need to talk about Kevin.

    For a child – teen Psychopath

    Also for Nature Vs Nurture debate.

  75. @reedlizard912

    September 25, 2026 at 7:56 pm

    Surgeons

  76. @seccommasada

    September 25, 2026 at 11:57 pm

    Thank you for this video. My mom has ASPD and so does a friend of mine, both of them are very caring, funny, wonderful people. People with these diagnoses are capable of having fulfilling lives, but the perpetuation of stigma around mental health makes it so much harder.

  77. @blingedoutalientiddies

    September 26, 2026 at 2:59 am

    I need him to talk about social media and the internet and why alot of people on here seem to have no empathy at all that would be very interesting.

  78. @EvieWade09

    September 26, 2026 at 6:10 am

    As someone who had to quit teaching, I can confirm that it was teaching that made Walter White sociopathic 😅

  79. @Benjamin-z5r2d

    September 26, 2026 at 7:19 am

    Im getting screened and diagnosed with conduct disorder with callous unemotional traits 🥹🫰

  80. @gamingnweed123

    September 26, 2026 at 8:18 am

    Easiest way to attract psychopaths and see it for yourself is: talk about your personal problems in public. You’ll get their attention immediately, because they prey on those who need help.

  81. @unwisedog

    September 26, 2026 at 8:43 am

    This man is the most psychiatrist looking psychiatrist I’ve ever seen

  82. @alikavousi2171

    September 26, 2026 at 9:16 am

    What if someone can turn psychopathic behavior on and off like a switch

  83. @princessvenus8

    September 26, 2026 at 10:14 am

    THIS TOPIC IS GETTING SO BORING

  84. @Roneish1996

    September 26, 2026 at 11:03 am

    As someone who just finished a rewatch of breaking bad very recently I would argue that Walter White definitely had all of those things wrong with him all along. His cancer diagnosis (and the lie about it being for his family) was his weird excuse to start removing the mask and express his true self to the world and become Heisenberg.

  85. @tangerinetangerine9819

    September 26, 2026 at 11:12 am

    Me falling in love with this stranger guy explaining psychopaths to me is real psychopathic behavior

  86. @werpuiy

    September 26, 2026 at 11:12 am

    Also Sherri Papini comes to mind. She has doubled down on her claim now even after the investigation revelead she staged all that. One has to be a crazy one to do that

  87. @emmasophia__017

    September 26, 2026 at 12:02 pm

    the most realistic portrayal of a psychopath i’ve ever seen on film is by Jake Gyllenhaal on “Nightcrawler”

  88. @emwave100

    September 26, 2026 at 12:19 pm

    So sociopath is just someone who doesn’t conform to societal rules? lol.

  89. @sugaryhull9688

    September 26, 2026 at 12:37 pm

    I tend to give more weight to environmental and social issues being a shared experience between psychopathy and sociopathy. Trauma is a powerful force

  90. @Robespierre-II

    September 26, 2026 at 12:39 pm

    “Lost-420-69 says ….”
    Lol, dude. Okay, who on set cracked up just after that quick cut.

  91. @alginroare

    September 26, 2026 at 1:34 pm

    kinda curious to know if my mom is a pyschopath. been hunting for something to watch on youtube.

    • @alginroare

      September 26, 2026 at 1:36 pm

      I am not a professional, but I get the strong feeling my mom has ASPD.

  92. @sahyeong-fr

    September 26, 2026 at 2:31 pm

    who tf got the blu medic in a wired video

  93. @4everJung

    September 26, 2026 at 4:25 pm

    For anyone who hasn’t read or seen the movie Gone Girl, there are major spoilers in this video, so avoid at all costs. He could have given a spoiler warning 🤦‍♀️

  94. @MrOthellojr

    September 26, 2026 at 5:57 pm

    Interesting….

  95. @NicoDharmaPeace

    September 26, 2026 at 6:44 pm

    So, while everyone focuses on antisocial personality disorder, I think we’re missing something extremely important: predatory behavior does not necessarily look antisocial.

    Some of the most socially effective and potentially exploitative people can be charismatic, charming, highly communicative, socially perceptive, and exceptionally good at managing their public image. That’s one reason I think simply framing predatory behavior through ASPD can be misleading. ASPD and psychopathy overlap, but they aren’t synonymous, and the broader research on the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) specifically draws attention to manipulation, interpersonal exploitation, callousness, and the use of social relationships instrumentally.

    And this matters enormously when we’re talking about power.

    Research has found that narcissism can actually be associated with leadership emergence, partly because traits such as extraversion can make people more likely to be perceived as leaders. Research on psychopathy has likewise found a small positive relationship with leadership emergence alongside poorer leadership outcomes.

    That’s a serious institutional problem: charisma can conceal character. Someone can be exceptionally good at winning trust, cultivating alliances, reading a room, and presenting themselves as confident and competent while simultaneously possessing traits associated with manipulation and exploitation.

    The evidence linking Dark Triad traits to counterproductive workplace behavior is substantial, and research has also found positive associations between all three Dark Triad traits and workplace bullying perpetration.

    So I think we need to stop treating social dysfunction as the defining warning sign. Sometimes the warning sign is the opposite: someone who is extremely socially functional, extremely persuasive, and extremely good at getting people to like and trust them.

    Institutions therefore need safeguards that assess leadership candidates on more than charisma, confidence, popularity, or their ability to make a good impression. We should be paying much closer attention to documented patterns of manipulation, exploitation, abusive conduct, lack of accountability, treatment of subordinates, and how someone behaves when they have power over people who cannot easily challenge them.

    Because the real danger isn’t simply the person who can’t function socially.

    It’s the person who can use social competence as a weapon.

  96. @Chrizzko

    September 26, 2026 at 6:46 pm

    I don’t think Hollywood gets psychopaths wrong per se. It’s just that the violent, criminal psychopaths are the ones worth making stories about. Hollywood just doesn’t explain that these are not the only(!) kinds of psychopaths. I can’t remember Hollywood ever claiming that ALL psychopaths are evil, violent, dangerous, criminal. It’s really the viewers that interpret it as such because that is the kind of psychopaths they get exposure to through Hollywood. Which is why these kinds of videos and people such as Dr. Bender here are great to remind people that Hollywood portrays a certain TYPE of psychopaths.

  97. @Quickened1

    September 26, 2026 at 7:32 pm

    To be honest, I clicked on your video, because you look like a psychopath… 😅

  98. @Baja_blast_junkie

    September 26, 2026 at 7:53 pm

    Wired wth… 3 mins in and 3 un-skippable ads?

  99. @MJ-kun17

    September 26, 2026 at 9:06 pm

    Loving the black background

  100. @IceageForever

    September 26, 2026 at 9:26 pm

    “It’s always amazing to me how many professionals spend their time in the comment section of YouTube pretty much 24/7; you would think they would be in a professional setting, actually doing research and practice in their field and wouldn’t have the time, but no. Here they are on YouTube, spending their entire day sharing their expertise with their laymen and laywomen. I mean, just look at how many “professionals” are in this comment section right here ↓ NOT 🤣

  101. @demolitionwoman-boop

    September 26, 2026 at 11:39 pm

    10:59 Somehow I’m not surprised that Americans set the threshold higher for psychopathy 🫠

  102. @dancingpeach6454

    September 27, 2026 at 12:45 am

    5:48 are they doing to understand or to exert their will?

  103. @Gitana-d7f

    September 27, 2026 at 7:37 am

    I wonder what term describes me: could not care less about humans but don’t dare to say or do anything to animals😂

    and yes I am vegan

  104. @dinanola

    September 27, 2026 at 9:01 am

    The reason we use the word “psycho” differently than “socio” is the movie “psycho” bringing the word into our collective vocabulary in the 60s

  105. @karazaroall

    September 27, 2026 at 9:06 am

    Yesss Dr Eric Bender is back!!! ❤

  106. @bndergltd3053

    September 27, 2026 at 9:20 am

    Just listen to interviews with various Trump administration officials. Stephen Miller, Russ Vaught come to mind.

  107. @e_one_m_one

    September 27, 2026 at 11:00 am

    09:31 – we see redditors’ mental illness in full display

  108. @goodman1e

    September 27, 2026 at 11:03 am

    Most psychopathic thing to watch

  109. @jkattau9

    September 27, 2026 at 11:12 am

    The ignorance in some of the comments he’s addressing is super disappointing.

  110. @4timesnow318

    September 27, 2026 at 11:18 am

    12:20 Reminds me of Sherlock Holmes’ response to the Scotland Yard Forensics Officer calling him a psychopath: “I’m not a psychopath Anderson, I’m a high functioning sociopath. Do your research.”

  111. @gatopardoantico5657

    September 27, 2026 at 11:19 am

    Last argument about evolutionary origins seems flawed as it neglects importance of pro-sociality for humans.

  112. @rkan2

    September 27, 2026 at 11:52 am

    13:55 – Everything is a spectrum, or a normal distribution, call it whatever, even though it doesn’t mean the same necessarily. However, once you have some grasp on this idea, nothing really looks the same or as binary as at least I feel like people view it. Yes/no is too easy for people. 😅

  113. @mikemondano3624

    September 27, 2026 at 11:54 am

    Always remember that the debunker may himself be a psychopath.

  114. @DreadmoorMediaArts

    September 27, 2026 at 12:34 pm

    Not all violent psychopaths are “eventually caught”. The Zodiac was never caught, the murderer of The Black Dahlia was never caught and Edmund Emil Kemper wasn’t caught, he just got bored and turned himself in, with his first attempts to do so going dismissed by the authorities because they didn’t believe him. There’s been a study done recently about the number of currently active serial killers operating in the US alone, based mostly on the numbers of murders and disappearances of people along trucking routes, and the statistics are absolutely terrifying.

  115. @SensationalBanana

    September 27, 2026 at 12:53 pm

    Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal.

    Best psychopath-depiction I’ve ever seen on film, based on my own interactions with confirmed psychopaths.

  116. @BahriChihab99

    September 27, 2026 at 12:59 pm

    Watching David Wood’s testimony was the best insight into how an actual psychopath thinks and operates

  117. @muhehey

    September 27, 2026 at 1:25 pm

    Sorry to point this out, but someone who manages illustration of this video did a poor job:
    – Insula cannot be shown on midline section on the brain.
    – The structure that is depicted as striatum is corpus callosum, not striatum.

  118. @TorstenSchmitt-g3d

    September 27, 2026 at 4:00 pm

    Men fight, women let someone fight for them; that’s why female psychopaths are “less violent”

  119. @SuperShotoBros

    September 27, 2026 at 4:06 pm

    Interesting…

  120. @eksbocks9438

    September 27, 2026 at 4:08 pm

    7:00
    The frontal cortex controls hyperactivity. And the amygdala controls the Fight-or-Flight response.

  121. @MaisieSqueak

    September 27, 2026 at 4:34 pm

    I’m sure I am not the only one to comment this but I’m going to add my own…
    All billionaires are psychopaths.

  122. @wakeupbell2491

    September 27, 2026 at 4:45 pm

    “And his haircut didn’t help.” Amen to that.

  123. @zamowner1

    September 27, 2026 at 5:49 pm

    Literally describing all of the Israelis/Zionists

  124. @no-thx-279

    September 27, 2026 at 9:11 pm

    That hairstyle looks psychopathic (Hitler)

  125. @StalkersRPredatorsAndThugs

    September 27, 2026 at 9:52 pm

    “People with mental illness are generally far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.”
    – clearly.

  126. @irobotlover

    September 27, 2026 at 11:12 pm

    yeah i still don’t want these sorts of people in my life. it’s too dangerous 🤷🏽‍♀️ i personally am not interested in developing a connection with psychopaths, people with NPD, ect.
    sadly, but typically, you guys are terrible people 😊 better to stay away

  127. @BalloonMerchant

    September 28, 2026 at 12:33 am

    Casper Darling?

  128. @Mrlich223

    September 28, 2026 at 12:42 am

    As a teen I was diagnosed with sociopathic and psychopathic tendencies. I was also told that I have a savior complex with a sadistic nature. What does this mean for me? lmfao.

  129. @marifazekas5650

    September 28, 2026 at 3:43 am

    Bed wetting is developmentally normal for kids to age like 10-12, and sometimes an indicator something is going on. Fire starting is a toss up. But the cruelty to animals? That’s always a red flag

  130. @richterwaage7935

    September 28, 2026 at 5:55 am

    If you find yourself beginning to understand them…

  131. @ready_here

    September 28, 2026 at 7:39 am

    The guy in the thumbnail looks like a psycho. He doesn’t look like a psycho when he’s talking, but that snapshot looks deranged.

  132. @MidianVGC

    September 28, 2026 at 7:57 am

    A close relative of mine is extremely f*cked up, but it is still impossible for me to tell which one he is, a sociopath or a psychopath, because his traits overlap a LOT.

    Pathological liar (both)
    Loves to inflict pain (psychopath)
    Impulsive outbursts of anger (Sociopath)
    Only befriends people or maintains relationships with people he can use (Psychopath)
    Cant keep a job, highly unsuccessful, sold drugs (Sociopath)
    Parasitic relationships (Sociopath)
    Complete lack of empathy (Psychopath)
    Commits poorly planned crimes (Sociopath)
    Complete lack of remorse for people he hurt (psychopath)
    Unbridled sexuality (Psychopath)
    Contempt towards women, immense hatred for his mother (Psychopath)
    Switches interests left and right, gets utterly obsessive about one thing for a while, spends tens of thousands on it, then gives up and moves on (Sociopath)
    Narcissist (Psychopath)
    Tortured and killed many animals (Psychopath)
    Jailed several times for domestic violence (both?)

    So? Which one is it?

  133. @efr2251

    September 28, 2026 at 8:19 am

    wouldn’t that make joker a sociopath

  134. @balljennings

    September 28, 2026 at 8:56 am

    What’s with the 1930s hair and glasses? This guy is a psychopath

  135. @returo7297

    September 28, 2026 at 9:02 am

    wheres theliarpathy 😮 way more than socio or spycopaty

  136. @UltimatePerfection

    September 28, 2026 at 11:31 am

    I am a narcissist (just look at my handle, lol). If I weren’t, I’d be too depressed with my life to get out of the bed in the morning.

  137. @dashmasterful

    September 28, 2026 at 11:59 am

    If they preach ‘love and light’ they are a psychopath. 100% facts.

  138. @ivanmit3366

    September 28, 2026 at 3:29 pm

    “That’s enough reddit for me today” He’s a redditor, alright

  139. @astral_rejection

    September 28, 2026 at 4:49 pm

    Is ChatGPT a psychopath?

  140. @clipty-123

    September 28, 2026 at 8:26 pm

    If psycopaths do not exist clinically, then what exactly is being referred to when answering these question? People who match ASPD diagnoses?

  141. @relaxa79

    September 28, 2026 at 9:13 pm

    5:09 reddit momment

  142. @Josephprouse1234

    September 29, 2026 at 2:50 am

    They have a secret movement, and they do not want to face accountability or stigma (which really might be fair sometimes). The psychopaths have their OWN zeitgeist. Be aware because they know what they’re doing, and they are self-aware now. They tend to use mind control.

  143. @Josephprouse1234

    September 29, 2026 at 2:55 am

    and it doesnt mean that you wont wont, either

  144. @SICRoosterKido

    September 29, 2026 at 8:39 am

    Thanks!

  145. @santiagodg94

    September 29, 2026 at 12:16 pm

    The truth is there are not many “pure” psychopaths out there. If you know someone you would really remember them. Though there is some people with psychopathic traits, but usually is more linked to the sociopath side.

  146. @MVRosie

    September 29, 2026 at 1:20 pm

    What about wearing a separate color shirt, tie, vest and glasses that don’t match. Psychopath dressing lol. Jokes aside this guy was really interesting

  147. @Halicos93

    September 29, 2026 at 1:58 pm

    So I guess I am a sociopath according to this video.

  148. @FlyingSpaghettiPerson

    September 29, 2026 at 2:08 pm

    I have trouble taking seriously a profession that says it’s OK if you think some guy lives in your heart and has conversations with you. Or that it’s ok to be deathly afraid of an invisible sky grandpa who says he’ll torture you forever if you don’t do exactly what he says. But only if those mysterious invisible beings are endorsed by some religion.

    Mutant Star Goats lives in my heart? Crazy. Apocalyptic 1st century Jew lives in my heart? Cool!

  149. @IamRa-18

    September 29, 2026 at 2:23 pm

    0:52 I could not possibly agree LESS on this issue.
    They need to keep the name psychopath.
    “Antisocial personality disorder”
    Just makes them sound shy.
    Besides, it’s not like it’s gonna hurt their feelings

  150. @user-eh2hj8bx7g0

    September 29, 2026 at 4:21 pm

    Hobi is the sweetest. He’s often the first member to thank us for voting. He deserves all the awards. Let’s do our best and make sure that he wins every award he’s ever nominated for especially for his next solo album.

  151. @Muskan-hw2ih

    September 29, 2026 at 6:20 pm

    Descriptive video ,
    Nice ❤

  152. @desfurria6232

    September 30, 2026 at 12:44 am

    If they were in a civilization that valued those traits, raiding and pillaging as examples, would they even be seen as a psychopath at all or would that term mean nothing?

  153. @alexvignolo7798

    September 30, 2026 at 3:38 am

    I got my tattoo done by a 45yo woman 6 months divorced.

    She played nothing but horror films where a woman is being chased by a man.

    Almost like she’s making her ex-husband a serial killer in retrospect rather than facing the ways she might have let her husband down.

    45yo and still playing victim like a child.
    Never reflecting upon her mistakes.
    A little girl in a grown woman’s body.

  154. @RoyAshraf00

    September 30, 2026 at 6:02 am

    gone girl is good

  155. @swarnendudas6265

    September 30, 2026 at 7:10 am

    I like his watch but can’t quite identify it. Can any watch nerd help?

  156. @existentialcrisis6789

    September 30, 2026 at 9:08 am

    Joker was very much a sociopath.

  157. @TheGoodContent37

    September 30, 2026 at 9:11 am

    People who love animals over humans are sociopaths while they think loving animals above humans make them better or superior. Talk about that.

  158. @ryanfrederick7702

    September 30, 2026 at 10:56 am

    Being a psychopath or sociopath doesn’t mean you’re evil; it just means you’re more capable of evil. People tend to associate disorders with “villains” of history (Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin) when the reality is: they were simply evil, no strings attached. People are capable of evil, regardless of what trauma, illnesses, or disorders they may have.

  159. @climax050

    September 30, 2026 at 12:00 pm

    Another video of Clark Kent being a Psychiatrist. Idk why but I find this man intensely fascinating. Its kind of like Hannibal Lector come to life, hopefully without the… habits.

  160. @CritterKeeper01

    September 30, 2026 at 1:18 pm

    4:00 Are psychotic breaks ever a “good trip” or are they always frightening?

    • @danner253

      October 1, 2026 at 3:13 am

      Mania would be a ‘positive’ psychotic break. Usually after the episode it all sinks in how false it was though.

    • @frozenneversleep

      October 2, 2026 at 4:56 pm

      A manic psychosis isn’t necessarily happy, mania can also present as intense anger, restlessness, or even an intense hyperactive sadness.

  161. @yurilisboa5265

    September 30, 2026 at 8:01 pm

    A compulsive liar is just a religious person.

  162. @hosermandeusl2468

    October 1, 2026 at 12:26 pm

    Q: what about “Slingblade”? Was he “psychotic” or just a vigilante?

  163. @nameless646

    October 1, 2026 at 6:04 pm

    I feel like Tony Soprano is more accurately described as a sociopath, but this is a great video. Thank you for helping dispel the myth about psychopaths in high management corporate positions. There’s a real good study on this called “Talking the Walk: Corporate Psychopathy”.

  164. @imarod78

    October 1, 2026 at 6:39 pm

    I think people who often call people a psychopath or crazy or insane may very likely carry the traits associated with those labels such as lack of empathy and anti social behavior. Like someone here said it’s often just used as a form of bullying individuals that are different or display socially unacceptable or misunderstood behavior such as individuals with autism. And that is just cruel.

  165. @BlarackOmamba

    October 1, 2026 at 7:05 pm

    I had my two best friends and my wife take the HARE test for me and they scored me between 32-36. I have a history of violence against people and animals dating between the age of 4 and 25. My first act I could remember is trying to smother my older cousin with a pillow around the age of 4 or 5.

  166. @SketchedRobot

    October 2, 2026 at 12:32 pm

    “mOSS43069” lol. I think this guy picked that just to laugh.

  167. @GHOST8813-8

    October 2, 2026 at 12:49 pm

    Thats easy look who runs the world

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

Exit mobile version