Recent findings indicate that while male psychopaths outnumber their female counterparts by approximately 6 to 1, a UK professor, Dr. Clive Boddy from Anglia Ruskin University, challenges this notion. According to Boddy, the actual ratio may be closer to 1.2 to 1, potentially indicating a significantly higher prevalence of female psychopathy than previously assumed. He attributes this discrepancy to gender bias, suggesting that societal perceptions often lead to underrecognition of psychopathic traits in women.
“Psychopathic characteristics are commonly associated with males, leading to a tendency to overlook similar behaviors in females,” Boddy explained, highlighting traits such as insincerity, deceitfulness, antagonism, lack of empathy, and emotional shallowness. Despite exhibiting these traits, female psychopaths may not be identified as such due to societal norms associating such behaviors predominantly with males.
Boddy further notes that female psychopaths often employ manipulation and charm rather than resorting to violence, differing from the typical modus operandi of male psychopaths. This reliance on verbal manipulation enables them to achieve their goals while evading suspicion.
These insights from Boddy coincide with recent research from Canada, which suggests a potential link between finger length ratios and diagnosed psychiatric disorders, adding further complexity to the understanding of psychopathy across genders.
