Psychologist explains how to tell if someone is a psychopath just by looking at them

When you meet someone who appears charming, well spoken and emotionally aware, the last thing you think is that they are a psychopath.

A psychopath is someone with an antisocial personality disorder, which means they often lack empathy, are manipulative and often have a total disregard for the consequences of their actions, according to the NHS.

While they can be hard to spot, professor Susan Krauss Whitbourne insists that a subtle pose can sometimes give it away.

Whitbourne, a professor emerita at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told the Daily Mail that people who adopt large, open and dominant body positions are more likely to display traits associated with manipulation and exploitation.

The findings she discusses are based on a series of five studies conducted by researchers at McGill University, involving 608 young adults.

People who adopt a certain pose are more likely to exhibit psychopathic traits, according to a university professor (Getty Stock Images)

Participants submitted photographs of themselves in natural standing positions, while one study involved lab-based physical measurements.

Across these experiments, individuals who naturally stood in more dominant, open poses consistently scored higher on traits linked to psychopathy, such as manipulativeness, competitiveness and belief in rigid social hierarchies.

"One major set of cues that can tip you off about someone's intention to boss you around is an open, erect, and expanded posture," Whitbourne said.

Posture alone isn't enough to determine whether someone is a psychopath or not (Getty Stock Images)

"Someone who is ready to give in to another person is more likely to slump over and may close up a bit."

Researchers acknowledged, however, that there isn't enough evidence to suggest that a change in posture alone is enough to determine someone's mental state.

Whitbourne added: "What if you're the type of person who just naturally stands straight?

"Maybe you were fortunate enough to take dance lessons or participate in sports as a youngster, and a steady posture was one of those benefits.

A psychopath 'can sometimes pose a threat to others because they can be violent', the NHS says (Getty Stock Images)

"The issue from the standpoint of this study is that people who don't have this dominant orientation are able to vary their posture.

"Those participants who scored lower on these undesirable traits adopted a wider range of stances rather than always trying to overpower others by appearing strong and tough."

The NHS notes that 'people with an antisocial personality can sometimes pose a threat to others because they can be violent' and that 'most people with psychosis are more likely to harm themselves than others'.

Psychopathy is not to be mistaken for 'someone with psychosis who has a short-term (acute) condition that, if treated, can often lead to a full recovery'.