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How to Spot a Psychopath

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Based on former FBI Special Agent Joe Navarro’s experience as a criminal profiler and behavior specialist, this short booklet/checklist - "How To Spot A Psychopath" - provides the average person with the tools necessary for spotting and assessing psychopaths. This is a must read for anyone who wants to protect themselves, their children, or their loved ones. This short booklet/checklist offers practical guidance and a checklist of the 150 behaviors that are closely associated with psychopathy. It is easy to use, intended for the average layperson. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to use this. This will not only give you insight, it will also lay to rest any fears or concerns you have about psychopaths, so that you can do something about it. Practical, fast, easy to read and understand.

This is a NEWLY revised edition featuring more detailed introductory material on psychopaths and an extended checklist of now 150 features!

23 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2009

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About the author

Joe Navarro

65 books952 followers
Joe Navarro is an author, public speaker and ex-FBI agent. Navarro specializes in the area of nonverbal communication or body language and has authored numerous books.

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5 stars
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32 (24%)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Petra X.
2,461 reviews35.8k followers
May 18, 2022
Review This is more of a pamphlet with checklists than a book. It made me think that someone could legitimately describe themselves as having Borderline Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Personality Disorder and if you didn't know what they were, you might feel sympathy for them. They might be utterly charming, and you would think, it's sad how some people have such mental health challenges. But that would be falling into their manipulative trap already.

What they mean is an extreme narcissist who has no anger or emotional control except when it suits their manipulative minds to have it, and that whatever they do to you, they won't give a damn whether it is making you feel really small, stealing your money, taking your partner, side-swiping your car or even killing you. To them, if you are stupid enough to let it happen, you brought it on yourself, they only took advantage of an opportunity.

After this I read, The Inner World of the Psychopath : A definitive primer on the psychopathic personality. It was, being longer, a much more interesting book.
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Reading Notes The book makes an interesting point. In the US, psychopathy is not a diagnosis, it is Anti-Social Personality Disorder which is the same thing but sounds better, not like if you have been diagnosed with it that you are a totally callous person who thinks everything should go their way and anyone who doesn't facilitate that deserves whatever shit they hand out. Whether it is being screamed at, overworked and intimidated by a boss, violently abused by a partner, taken advantage of financially and been made use of by a friend who dumps you for someone more useful at some point, or anyone else who considers you only from the point of view of how you fit in with their lives. Still psychopaths though.
Profile Image for Finette Riegle.
24 reviews8 followers
April 3, 2021
Left me wanting to learn more

I wasn't expecting it to be so short but it was very interesting. I would have gladly continued reading an entire book on this subject by this author.
16 reviews
November 12, 2020
What you thought you knew!!!

Excellent short book , crammed with vital information. A fast read, can't wait to read more of his books. Info I wish I knew years ago.
Profile Image for Geraldine Comiskey.
Author 21 books5 followers
May 4, 2025
Handy guide for anyone who is either paranoid or has good reason to suspect someone in their life is a psycho. It's very short and the author tends to labour the points a lot - but that's a strength in a book aimed at a very wide readership.
Profile Image for Jessica.
46 reviews
August 4, 2022
Thorough but short

Great, straightforward checklist to have on hand, clear explanations. No frills, just the information you wanted out of the book.
Profile Image for Mariena.
106 reviews
October 4, 2023
thanks for the info ig. wont rlly be needing it but was kinda interesting to read
Profile Image for K. Adamus.
Author 29 books2 followers
June 13, 2024
Very useful, especially if you check all the list points with someone in mind.
Profile Image for Pyam.
94 reviews
June 10, 2023
Not really a book but a good guide to spot a psychopath. I've been using it to someone I know.
813 reviews63 followers
March 22, 2016
Meh. I don't remember if I paid anything for this Kindle, but if I did I certainly hope it wasn't for more than $0.99.

It was enlightening and it may have helped me unearth yet another psychopath in my world, but it had a much smaller scope than I anticipated or hoped for. A check list is helpful, but practical application or a better understanding of how those 150 criteria play out in a non-violent psychopath would've been even better. I feel like I "paid" (Assuming that I did.) money for a checklist when I expected a book. Maybe that's my fault for not being better informed, going in.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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