If Someone Does This After A Break-Up, They Could Be A Psychopath!
By
Michael Avery in
Life Style
On 18th October 2016
Science is all about curiosity - the need to look for answers to all sorts of questions. Scientific research has been around for centuries and is still being conducted in various fields. And one of the relatively newer fields of research is human behaviour. It's an interesting subject - also one of huge controversy. After all, people see people all around them, and so, almost everyone has a view of their own when it comes to discussing human behaviour. The study of human behaviour has now advanced from being generic studies to more sophisticated, specific studies, one of which also has to do with relationships. And after intensive research, science has found something that some people do after a break-up, which could be a huge sign saying that person is a psychopath.
Check it out!
#1
That ex you can't seem to completely erase from your life MIGHT have a basement freezer stocked with hooker scalps. Ready to let go yet?
A new study conducted by Oakland University psychologists Justin K. Mogilski and Lisa L.M. Welling suggests lovers who exhibit signs of narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism are less willing to let go of exes after breakups.
#2
Previous research and expert analysis suggests that individuals with dark personality traits like psychopathy engage in behaviors and relationships that are beneficial for their personal gain. Researchers from Oakland University wanted see if this theory also applied to connections with former partners.
In the first part of their study, the researchers asked more than 300 participants to name reasons why they would want to be friends with an ex. Then, they narrowed these reasons down to seven concrete categories, such as "reliability/sentimentality," "pragmatism," and "sexual access."
The researchers assigned high scores to positive categories (like a former partner was "reliable, trustworthy and of sentimental value"), and lower scores to more negative categories (practicality and sexual access). Then, for the second experiment, they gave the list of seven categories to approximately 500 new participants, and asked each of them to rank the categories in order of personal importance to them. These new participants were also given clinical assessments that measured their prevalence of dark personality traits.
The results revealed, unsurprisingly, that highly ranking a practical reason for remaining friends with an ex predicted a clinical assessment of narcissism or psychopathy.
The findings "suggest that [a post-relationship friendship] may provide opportunity for ex-partners to exchange desirable resources (e.g., love, status, information, money, sex) after romantic relationship dissolution," the study authors wrote in their conclusion. Translation: Not everyone's post-breakup intentions are pure particularly if they have dark personalities.
#3 Your ex could be a psychopath!
Scientists generally use the term 'sociopath' as it has a little less stigma associated with it. Speaking technically, the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' prefers the term 'antisocial personality disorder.'
#4 Sociopathy? What's that?
A sociopath is anyone with a lack of empathy. Hannibal Lecter is an example, albeit of the extreme, violent kind.
#5 A sociopath basically has no conscience
It doesn't mean that they're murderers and criminals. What it means is that they feel no guilt or remorse, and can't care for others' feelings.
#6 Recently, a new symptom of the disorder has been discovered.
And it has a close conection with romantic relationships.
#7 Staying friends after a break-up could be a sign of sociopathy
The theory stems from the fact that sociopaths see people as objects that can be used, and so if one of your exes is still friends with you, there's a good chance that he's a sociopath.
#8 They might also have 'dark personality traits.'
Insensitivity, manipulation, and self-admiration are just to name a few of these traits.
#9 These people like to keep their ex around only for self-serving reasons...
The recent study that has brought these facts to light says that a sociopathic ex will keep his or her ex around only for pragmatic, self-serving reasons. It has nothing to do with feelings.
#10 Bottomline: if you can't let go, you're sociopathic!
Break-ups are synonymous with 'ending a relationship.' So if you can't do that even after a break-up, there's good reason to believe that you have attachment issues!
#11 But how correct are the results of the study?
#12 Is it necessarily true that staying friends with your ex makes you sociopathic?
#13 The answer is a BIG no!
After all, some people might have actual reasons, emotions being one of them.
#14 It's important to remember that the study of human behaviour is highly debated...
And so, all you should take from the results of this study is a warning. Simply look out for these signs, and see them as red flags, instead of seeing them as definite tell-tale signs.
