Study identifies where psychopaths are most likely to live
(NewsNation) — People with so-called 'dark' personalities — including psychopaths, narcissists and sadists — are more common in U.S. states with the most adverse conditions, new research found.
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.'
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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.
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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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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