Victims have a certain way of walking, and psychopaths can spot it. That’s the conclusion two bloggers for Psychology Today reached, based on a scientific study released last year.
The study, Psychopathic traits and perceptions of victim vulnerability, was authored by Sarah Wheeler, Angela Book and Kimberly Costello of Brock University. The abstract states:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals scoring higher on psychopathic traits would be better able to judge vulnerability to victimization after viewing short clips of targets walking. Participants provided a vulnerability estimate for each target and completed the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale: Version III (SRP-III). Higher SRP-III scores were associated with greater accuracy in assessing targets’ vulnerability to victimization.
Psychology Today blogger Marisa Mauro, Psy.D., explained the study further. A group of male university students were asked to watch video clips of 12 people walking. The videos were shot from behind, and the students were asked to rate the ease at which each could be mugged. Several of the individuals had, in fact, been victimized. The students who scored high in psychopathic traits were better at picking out the people who had already been mugged.
Mauro works as a prison psychologist. Based on her experience and this study, she wrote:
Certain personal characteristics are associated with tendency to be on the receiving end of bullying such as harassment and manipulation. I have found that the demonstration of confidence through body language, speech and affective expression, for example, provides some protection.
Wallflowers
Another Psychology Today blogger, Jeff Wise, also commented on the study and what it says about victims. Wise wrote that he recently came across a guy who seemed to have the traits of a psychopath. The man was charming, good-looking, athletic, financially successful—and he left a trail of destruction in his wake. His victims sounded like wallflowers. Wise wrote:
The women who wound up on the receiving end of his attentions were individuals who, in their own description, were not very worldly, experienced, or outgoing. They were psychologically vulnerable and hence ill-equipped to either resist this fellow’s predations or to deal with them emotionally after they had occurred.
Wise concluded that, “people who are on the receiving end of crime often do mark themselves out, if only subliminally.” Mauro suggested that people can decrease perceived vulnerability by projecting dominance—more eye contact, less movement of the hands and feet.
If only it were that easy.
Traits of targeted women
The research both bloggers quoted described a particular situation—people walking down the street, and how vulnerable they might be to being mugged. It should not be generalized to describe all victims of psychopaths. After all, how many of us were involved with muggers?
Consider the research by Dr. Liane Leedom on women who were targeted by psychopaths. She found that they have three traits in common:
- Extraverts. The women are outgoing, competitive, strong-willed and liked excitement. Sometimes they are free-spirited.
- Cooperative. They are high in empathy, tolerance and compassion. They value getting along with others, and are willing to compromise their own interests for the larger picture.
- Invested in relationships. They like being around people. They are sentimental and focus on special moments.
Dr. Leedom’s research relates to women. But I’ve heard from many Lovefraud readers, both men and women, who were successful, take-charge individuals—until they met the psychopath.
Personally, I don’t think anyone who watched me walk down the street would tag me as timid or vulnerable. I’m an athlete, and my stride is confident. But I was victimized by a psychopath, who took $227,000 from me, and cheated on me incessantly. And the guy started setting his hooks via e-mail, before he ever saw me walk.
Maybe projecting dominance would work to avoid muggers. But it’s not going to stop victimization by a card-carrying psychopath intent on finding a resourceful new supply.
BP – HERE HERE!!
‘Not a once of mugging, nothing with the way you walk” the normal aspirations of a decent human being”IS their target. ‘
sky – wow, what slimey spathspeak, all cryptic, mean and convoluted. ick.
I think the video clip they are referring to is included in the film I’psychopath starring mr vaknin. Dr Angela Book from Brook university shows a bunch of women walking down the corridor in the clip and the psychopaths have to watch them walking. one of the victims walks in what I described in my own writings as an “upsy daisy type walk” whereby the right and left hands do not move in synch. Nothing to do with being unconfident. the particular victim had been a victim of violent crime.
When I watched it my first reaction was “bl**dy h*ll I have been walking like that since I was a kid”. It was called carefree not unconfident. (and yet I come from childhood sexual abuse. To test the theory I coached a woman recently and watched her walking and she too had this “upsy daisy carefree walk”. she too had been sexually abused as a child.
How they spot it who knows? Although I dont walk exactly like the woman in the video my arms and legs are “out of sync”h and most people would say I come across as confident in my demeanour. I certainly dont walk with my head down in fact I was always taught to walk with my shoulders back and held held high. I think its a lot more subtle than that.
anyway if anyone wants to watch the video its here at about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhpXdpgHcMM&feature=related 1 min 45
Dear Noordinary,
I watched that vid in “I Psychopath” and I picked out the woman who had been abused, but I couldn’t tell you WHY I picked Her. It was almost an instinctive thing I think. Having studied animal “flight zones” though, and predator/prey behavior in animals, I can see how there are some instinctive awareness in animals of which among a herd is “the weakest” or most likely to be separated from the herd, which is sick, which is lame, etc. to make it more vulnerable to predation. Predators have survived because they were able to pick out the one animal out of 1,000 that is most easily taken. A lioness doesn’t need a broken jaw, it is fatal for her, so if she is not able to pick out the animal less likely to injure her when she pounces, she is removed from the gene pool.
“Survival of the Fittest” is the rule, and survival of the one who can pick out the one most likely to be over come…whether it is that the victim has a wealth of resources the predator wants, or if it is because they are more easily overcome physically, they pick the one they are most likely to overcome.
Oxy…
Just came home from work so my timing is off. But your cow thing kickstarted my funny bone.
I grew up in Iowa near the Minnesota border so the Commercials for California Cheese were esp funny to me, where the cows have conversations with a Minnesota accent. (search you tube for happy cows california cheese. they are FUNNY. “She’s been tipped one time too many…” hahahaha. LOL.)
Later as an adult, I spent a lot of years on a dairy ranch. Every year we’d raised one steer for beef. Ornery cusses(musta happened when we turned their mind from ass to grass). Stubborn Beasts. Would go through hot wire just to be contrary.
So there I’d be… fixing fence (usually in cold icy rain) and that steer would stare while I struggled with the job. And the whole time I’d talk to him, taunting, “Hey TriTip. Yummm. You are looking good. Go ahead. Break the wire. B/c every time you do, I remember how I am going to eat you and relish every juicy bite.” (imitating the voice of the old witch heating up the oven for Hansel and Gretel.)
While herding the girls up for milking, I’d have conversations with them too, in the Minnesota accent.
Nose to Tail Tales
Gladys: Seems like we did this yesterday.
Clara: We DID do this yesterday.
Lulu: I’m bored. Lets run away!
Clara: Where to? Minnesota?!
Gladys: Well count me out. Hanks (like in Hankering after cows) looking pretty buff these last couple a days…
Yep, I named some of the cows. What can I say. I was isolated except for the cows. Beats talking to a coconut head.
Cows and lambs for the slaughter indeed. Too funny- the dialogue. : )
Great insights as to that study, and how it applies or doesn’t to the “victims”. And the question of why we were targeted is a lingering one, as it should be so we can learn to avoid another encounter with one of these creatures, or God forbid, be victimized again.
One of the things that I have come to conclude, after reading all the Spath books and much much learning on this site, is that mine picked me, partially because he had been told from a mututal freind about how deeply in love and loyal I had been to a previous boyfreind. Easier for the long con.. as I would not be the one to give easily up once I was hooked.
The other thing mostly was that I would make an excellent prop. I guess in more cynical terms, the “trophy” wife ( not that I am suggesting I am some kind of big prize) but because I gave him the opportunity to surround himself with all the trappings of “normal”..nice kids, nice house nice car nice wife”..which he had not had with his ex.
And then yes, the classic divide and conquer, after first giving me lots of leeway to see my freinds and family…finally moving us all away from our entire support group, family and freinds. After playing the doting son in law for years- ditching my aging parents and not giving a damn. Anyhow, you all know the stories, because in the end they are so cookie cutter.
What I still cannot fathom is how they manage to think it all up- or does it just come so naturally to them that it is like breathing- a bit like Dr. Steve’s Howard. Because they do not care- it is of no consequence to them what they say..whether you believe it ..or whether they are doing harm. As long as we keep being their prey..and do not expose what is under the mask..we are worth the very VERY little effort it is to them to keep up whatever charade we- as victims, are addicted to.
(Once again may I recommend the film” What the *&&^% Do We Know”…excellent science on our behaivoral addictions. )
And speaking of the addiction- he is still delights in pulling some classic P drama from the sidelines that affects us all..making a big scary issue out of something that should be routine, there by endangering his son- and indirectly abusing me.
When stuff like that happens I am vacummed right into the old familiar stress, anxiety, anger, self doubt. And I have to ask myself- am I still addicted?
Peace all.
Dear Katy, Yea, I talk to critters too! Sometimes they talk back! LOL
Anitasee, yea, my P-BF wanted a “respectable” wife, not that I was wealthy or beautiful, just “respectable” and well liked and well-known in my community–to give him that “cover” of respectability. That MASK to cover up his real slimey self!
My thought is that perhaps one of the reasons these false notions about psychopaths preying on women ( or men ) that appear “weak” came about is the aftermath- how women ( or men ) appear following the encounter : tired, drained, of ill-health, and with a ravaged soul, their innocence having been violently taken from them. And of course after being isolated from everyone they’re going to appear “less outgoing” and perhaps even, withdrawn. They see that and think “well maybe that’s why you..” No, just no. A sad consequence of flawed data analysis/collection.
dancing…
I agree with you! Flawed data!!! I was never happier, more confident and balanced. He wanted me to do that for him and “fix” him. That wound up making me the later encouter you speak of. The farking mess!
Some may prey on the weak… but they as the weak prey on the strong to bring them down!!! They want their “normal token” to make them look good and worthy, when they damn well know, they are not
worthy of a damn piss ant bite!
soimnotthecrazee1!
My spath Daughter used me as a cash- cow for years and years!
{you know, kept on milking me.}Very profitable for her, all she had to do was turn on the crocodile tears over the phone, and I was putty in her hands. No longer!
Mama gemXX