Number of Psychopaths Living In CT Is Shocking, New Study Says

Well, this is intriguing. The nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C., has more psychopaths than any other area of the country, according to a new study. It could be explained by the high population density “or by the type of person who may be drawn a literal seat of power,” according to Ryan H. Murphy, the author of the study from Southern Methodist University.

Connecticut ranked 2nd in the study, which examined a cross section of the “big five” personality traits — extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism — and how they relate to psychopathy in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.

“The presence of psychopaths in the District of Columbia is consistent with the conjecture that psychopaths are likely to be effective in the political sphere,” Murphy wrote in the study, adding that D.C. is an outlier because it is an entirely urban geographic area.

Behind D.C., the states with the most psychopaths were, respectively, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, and New York and Wyoming, which tied for No. 5.

Murphy pointed to the “odd placement” of Wyoming compared to neighboring states like Montana, which ranked 43rd, and Idaho, which ranked 22nd. He said one explanation is that Wyoming is the least-densely populated state in the contiguous United States, but he also suggested that big cities may hold a particular allure for psychopaths.

For the study, which has not been peer reviewed, Murphy analyzed the results of personality surveys given to thousands of residents in each of the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. It was published this month by the Social Science Research Network.

Murphy’s study built on one in 2013 that separated the United States into three broad psychological regions and looked at correlations with key political, economic, social and health indicators. It classified the mid-Atlantic states as “temperamental and uninhibited,” states in middle America as “friendly and conventional” and those in the West as “relaxed and creative.”

Murphy used that data to calculate a new score based on personality traits that indicated psychopathy.

So, what does psychopath mean? If you’re thinking about the nefarious characters you see on “Criminal Minds,” you’re missing the mark, according to Scientific American.

Psychopaths are “superficially charming” and “tend to make a good first impression on others and often strike observers as remarkably normal,” the magazine wrote.

“Yet they are self-centered, dishonest and undependable, and at times they engage in irresponsible behavior for no apparent reason other than the sheer fun of it,” the article continued. “Largely devoid of guilt, empathy and love, they have casual and callous interpersonal and romantic relationships. Psychopaths routinely offer excuses for their reckless and often outrageous actions, placing blame on others instead. They rarely learn from their mistakes or benefit from negative feedback, and they have difficulty inhibiting their impulses.”

Here’s how Murphy’s study ranked the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia:

1. District of Columbia
2. Connecticut
3. California
4. New Jersey
5. New York and Wyoming (tie)
7. Maine
8. Wisconsin
9. Nevada
10. Illinois
11. Virginia
12. Maryland
13. South Dakota
14. Delaware
15. Massachusetts
16. Arizona
17. Florida
18. Iowa
19. Colorado
20. Texas
21. Ohio
22. Utah
23. Arkansas
24. Idaho
25. North Dakota
26. Michigan
27. Alabama
28. Pennsylvania
29. Rhode Island
30. Louisiana
31. Kansas
32. Georgia
33. Minnesota
34. Missouri
35. Washington
36. Kentucky
37. Nebraska
38. South Carolina
39. New Hampshire
40. Oregon
41. Indiana
42. Mississippi
43. Montana
44. Oklahoma
45. New Mexico
46. North Carolina
47. Tennessee
48. Vermont
49. West Virginia

Photo via Shutterstock / Voyagerix