Can You Really Identify a Psychopath By Their Eyes?

Many people believe that the eyes are windows to the soul. In some ways, this is true; your eyes hold a lot of emotion and expression. If you blocked off a person’s face and left only their eyes, you could probably still tell if they were worried, angry, anxious, or happy.

Aside from emotions, what else does a person’s eyes tell you? Could they tell you if they are good or bad? Could they even tell you if they are psychopathic?

Media like books, TV, and movies often use phrases like “crazy eyes” or “a killer stare” to describe a psychopath. Whether you’re aware of it or not, these notions have stuck, making us think it’s possible to identify a psychopath through specific physical attributes. But how much truth is there to this, and is there any scientific backing?

Let's explore whether it’s really possible to identify a psychopath by their eyes, what the science says, and the dangers of making snap judgments about a person before you get to know them. What’s that saying about not judging a book by its cover?

What Are ‘Psychopath Eyes?’

Odds are you’ve heard the phrase “They’ve got psycho eyes” thrown around carelessly. Sometimes as a joke, other times quite seriously. The idea that you can identify a psychopath through their eyes is, however, more grounded in pop culture than any real science.

When someone says a person has psycho eyes, they're typically not referring to any physical characteristic like shape or color. Instead, they refer to attributes like blinking slowly or having a cold, emotionless stare. For example, in American Psycho, Christian Bale’s character, Patrick Bateman, often has a chilling, empty gaze that makes him seem all the more menacing.

Picture someone staring too intensely, almost like they’re sizing you up. This unwavering gaze can be pretty unsettling, says Law. On the flip side, imagine someone avoiding eye contact entirely, making them seem shifty or uncomfortable. Most of us blink naturally, but someone might blink less frequently, which adds to that cold, emotionless stare.

However, these are all abstract qualities anyone could have. Attributing these traits to specific personalities or diagnoses is based on stereotypes which can put people in unfair and awkward positions. While we tend to depend on visual cues to learn more about a person’s intentions or emotions, making assumptions exclusively based on these markers can lead to stigmatization.

What's more, staring can sometimes be connected with certain conditions like ADHD, autism, or OCD. Labeling someone with a mental health condition or neurodivergence as a psychopath because of their "eyes" can be harmful.

Signs and Traits of Psychopathy

It may help first to understand what a psychopath or someone with psychopathy is before trying to determine if a person has psychopathic eyes or not. The term psychopath is not used as a formal diagnostic term. In the current diagnostic language, someone is diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder if they have a pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights of others, along with other characteristics including a lack of remorse or conscience.

To diagnose psychopathy, psychiatrists and psychologists psychologists may use tools like the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) along with their clinical assessment.

Some common signs of psychopathy include the following:

Lack of Empathy

A more reliable way to identify a psychopath than through their eyes is by looking out for a deep lack of empathy. Psychopaths find it difficult to understand or care about how others feel, which allows them to be harmful or callous without feeling guilt or remorse.

Pathological Lying

A little white lie now and again doesn’t make one a psychopath. However, frequent and habitual lying is a common trait among psychopaths. They lie easily and often, even about petty things. They are naturally deceitful and lie to manipulate. 

Superficial Charm

Psychopaths can also be charming and charismatic. Take another look at Patrick Bateman's character in American Psycho—when he wanted, he laid on charm thickly, usually as a means to an end. They use superficial charm and wit to be persuasive and manipulate others to get what they want. 

Grandiose Sense of Self 

No one else is more important to a psychopath than themselves, not even their closest friends or family. They tend to have inflated egos and believe they are superior to others, thus deserving special treatment and constant admiration.

Shallow Emotions

While psychopaths can mimic emotions to manipulate others, their own emotional experiences are often shallow. They may show a limited range of emotions and lack a depth of feelings.

Lack of Remorse or Guilt

No matter how harmful a psychopath’s actions or behavior is, they are incapable of feeling guilt or remorse. They will rationalize even the most outrageous behaviors and refuse to accept responsibility for their actions.

Criminal Behavior

Psychopathy can result in criminal behavior. While not all psychopaths are criminals, they are a lot more likely to commit crimes than the average person. 

Parasitic Nature

Some psychopaths are, by their very nature, parasitic. They have no problem relying on others for support while giving little or nothing in return. They may exploit friends, family, or partners for financial or emotional gain.

It is crucial to avoid simplifying psychopathy to visible cues alone. Psychopathic traits are deeply embedded in personality and behavioral patterns. While certain eye movements can suggest emotional detachment or manipulativeness, they are not diagnostic and need to be interpreted as part of a broader context, says Adam Zagha, a clinical mental health expert and founder of Numa Recovery Centers.

What Can You Tell From a Person’s Eyes?

Have you ever looked into someone’s eyes and felt like you could read their mind? This happens especially with loved ones. You can pick up a lot of emotional cues in the eyes of a person you know well. It’s why you can tell a loved one is worried or sad even when they say otherwise. 

Their Emotions

If your friend walks up to you bursting with excitement, you can already see their eyes sparkle before they speak. When happy, your eyes will likely twinkle and crease at the corner, even if you’re not laughing or smiling widely. On the other hand, when you’re angry or sad, they tend to look a little darker and intense. All of these emotions play through your eyes without you even realizing it.

Health Conditions

Aside from emotions, with certain conditions, you can also tell the state of a person’s physical health through their eyes. A yellowish hue in a person’s eyes can indicate liver problems. Red or bloodshot eyes might mean they’re tired, stressed, or simply dealing with seasonal allergies. And it’s not just color, either. The size of your pupils also plays a role; for instance, your pupils dilate when you’re intoxicated.

A Sign of Dishonesty

Some people think looking out for eye contact is an easy way to catch a person in a lie. If someone looks you straight in the eyes when communicating, you’re more likely to think they’re being honest. But if they’re shifty-eyed, you may believe they are lying or hiding something. Interestingly, the concept of maintaining eye contact varies across different cultures. In many Asian cultures, avoiding eye contact is actually a sign of respect, especially when speaking to an older person or someone of authority.

It’s incredible how quickly we make judgments based on someone’s eyes. We might say someone has “kind eyes” or “crazy eyes” after a glance. These first impressions can stick with us, even if they’re inaccurate. It’s easy to label someone as having a “psychopathic stare” without knowing anything about them. 

While eyes can tell a lot about a person, they don’t tell the whole story, especially with psychopathy. Law explains that psychopaths often struggle to feel and show a full range of emotions. Their eyes might not reflect genuine warmth, sadness, or concern. But they can also be incredibly good at faking emotions, making them seem empathetic when they’re not. A psychopath might use intense eye contact to intimidate or control a situation. Imagine someone holding your gaze uncomfortably long, trying to dominate the conversation.

Why You Shouldn’t Judge Someone By Their Eyes

First impressions are an excellent way to quickly filter who you’d want to let in your life and who you’d prefer to keep at arm’s length. However, it’s crucial to check what informs these decisions to ensure they are not biased. Otherwise, you miss out on meeting and engaging with amazing people. If you don’t drink alcohol, it’s understandable to want to avoid the person who seems to always have a glass in their hand at a party. But dismissing a person because you think they have “crazy eyes” or “a serial killer stare” is unfair and, no pun intended, shortsighted. 

When you look into a person’s eyes and make a snap judgment, you’re relying on your instincts and biases, which aren’t always accurate. Just because someone has intense or unusual eyes doesn’t mean they’re dangerous or untrustworthy. When you do this, you’re falling into the trap of stereotypes and reducing a complex person to a single, often negative trait, which isn’t fair or accurate.

There’s very little research into the connection between a person’s eyes and psychopathy. While some studies suggest that psychopaths may have certain subtle eye behaviors, these traits are not reliable indicators on their own. Zagha says, from personal clinical observations, individuals labeled as having “psychopath eyes” often exhibit specific intensities in a gaze that can make others uneasy. However, this alone is insufficient for a diagnosis. In my practice, integrating eye behavior with comprehensive psychological evaluations is necessary for understanding personality traits.

There are many reasons why someone might exhibit odd-eye behaviors, says Law. Shyness, social anxiety, or even cultural differences can influence how people make eye contact. Remember, some cultures prefer limited eye contact as a sign of respect. While you might consider eye contact as a sign of trustworthiness, others might consider it rude. For example, direct eye contact in Japan can be regarded as confrontational or disrespectful. Same applies to some Middle Eastern cultures, where prolonged eye contact between men and women who are not related can be seen as inappropriate. 

Keep in Mind

When it comes down to it, it’s impossible to learn everything you need to know about a person’s character and inner world through their eyes. Attempting to do so can only result in more harm than good. People are complex and unique, and the only way to get a complete picture of who they are is by doing the hard work of getting to know them. When you judge a book by its cover, you will likely miss out on many fascinating reads.