10 Signs of a Female Psychopath

What Is a Psychopath?

Because psychopaths engage in behaviors that are more extreme versions of behavior exhibited by those with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), the two disorders are often considered to be the same. It has been hypothesized that psychopathy is an extreme version of ASPD, but there are key differences in their presentation.⁴ People with ASPD have social and emotional deficits that limit their ability to experience emotions or feel true empathy or remorse for their actions. Psychopaths also lack remorse and empathy but have less regard for others and for any consequences of their behavior and are more likely to become violent and abusive, and are considered some of the most dangerous people in society.^5,6

15 Signs of a Female Psychopath

Male and female psychopaths share certain antisocial traits like a lack of empathy and remorse and a pattern of violating other people’s rights.^5,6 Still, men and women psychopaths are different in the way they victimize others, with women using less violent methods of aggression.¹ Female psychopath traits and symptoms can also vary, and can include more impulsivity, irritability, and social interest.^2,3,7

Below are 15 signs that can help you spot a female psychopath:

1. They Develop Relationships With Their Victims

One of the traits of a female psychopath is the tendency to form relationships with the people they victimize. While male psychopaths usually target strangers, females are much more likely to victimize people they know.²

Some female psychopaths use flirtation or sex to lure in people with money or power and then lie, con, or manipulate these people into giving them things.⁷ This tendency shows the cold-hearted nature of the female psychopath, who won’t feel bad about hurting or using others, even those closest to her.

2. They Use Indirect Forms of Aggression

Female psychopaths can be just as aggressive as their male counterparts but tend to employ more covert, indirect methods. Instead of physical aggression, they rely on relational aggression tactics such as gossiping, excluding others, or forming alliances to target individuals.^1,3

In some cases, they may manipulate others by threatening self-harm or reacting to conflict with verbal abuse or name-calling. These behaviors allow female psychopaths to maintain a façade of control while causing significant emotional or social harm to their victims.^1,7

3. They Play the Victim Card

One of the unique traits of female psychopaths is their tendency to present themselves as a victim in order to get attention, pity, or to emotionally manipulate others to get what they want.^1,3 Female psychopaths may use the victim card or play the “damsel in distress” to pull at the heartstrings of people who are empathetic, caring, or generous.

In some cases, female psychopaths paint themselves as victims to avoid getting in trouble or being held accountable for their actions. This is another form of manipulation and deceit that is more common in female psychopaths than males.^1,3

4. They Can’t Hold in Their Anger for Long

Male psychopaths can be calm, cool, and calculated, but female psychopaths have a much harder time controlling anger.^1,2,3 They are more irritable and prone to angry outbursts.^1,3 Unlike a normal (non-psychopathic) person, most psychopathic females feel relieved after they lash out, instead of feeling guilty.

Female psychopaths sometimes even feel entitled to their angry and aggressive responses, placing the blame on the other person.¹ Their tendency to act on their pent-up anger and impulses is one of the reasons why female psychopaths have a harder time functioning, and experience more social impairment than men.³

5. They Use Deceptive Tactics to Get What They Want

While male psychopaths are more violent and direct in taking what they want from people, female psychopaths tend to rely more on deception. For example, it’s much more common for female psychopaths to be arrested for fraud or extortion, rather than for physical or sexual assault (unlike male psychopaths).⁷

These kinds of crimes highlight the deceptive and cunning nature of the female psychopath, who may come up with elaborate cover stories and lies to con or manipulate people.^2,3,7

6. They Want Acceptance But Sabotage Relationships

While individuals with antisocial personality disorder often form relationships for strategic purposes rather than genuine connection, female psychopaths can be more social and may even crave acceptance from others.^2,3

However, their impulsivity and cruelty often undermine these efforts, making it difficult for them to sustain healthy, meaningful relationships. Instead, they tend to sabotage connections by victimizing those closest to them, perpetuating a cycle of fractured and toxic interactions.³

7. They Leverage Secrets & Personal Information

One form of relational aggression that’s common among female psychopaths (and also a sign of a sociopath) is the tendency to use personal information about other people against them. Female psychopaths may use secret or personal information about other people against them as leverage to bribe, manipulate or control them.

For example, they might threaten to expose information about a previous affair or substance use problem their boss had unless they agree to pay them more. Some will also gossip or spread rumors or lies about other people who they want to discredit, which is another form of relational aggression.^1,9

8. They Get Other People to Do Their Dirty Work

A female psychopath is better at forming strategic relationships to get people to do things for them, especially their “dirty work” they don’t want to do. While they aren’t usually physically violent, female psychopaths engaged in crime often have male counterparts who “handle” the violent aspects of their crimes.⁷ They may also con or convince other people to commit other illegal or immoral acts on their behalf, often so they can declare innocence later or have a scapegoat later on.

9. They Are Emotionally Unstable

Another common trait of a female psychopath is emotional instability. While male psychopaths often have a restricted range of emotions which makes them cool and detached, females with this disorder may not show this trait.^2,3,5 Research shows women psychopaths are more likely to struggle with depressive symptoms and mood problems, and also more likely to struggle with anger and jealousy than males.^2,3

10. They Are Good at Pretending

Psychopaths and sociopaths both can use superficial charm or charisma to lure people close to them, but women may be better at this than men. For example, male psychopaths tend to display more narcissism but female psychopaths often seem friendly, charming, and even passive at first.^1,2

The deceptive tactics used by a female psychopath makes them harder to detect, and more successful at forming relationships.⁸ Unfortunately, they will often end up using, abusing, or taking advantage of those who they end up getting close to.³

11. They Don’t Care How You Feel

Female psychopaths are notably callous, showing little regard for how their words or actions impact others. They may inflict harm without hesitation or remorse and, in some cases, even derive satisfaction from the collateral damage caused in the pursuit of their goals.⁹ Often, this lack of empathy remains hidden until their target has served their purpose, revealing the true extent of their indifference.

12. Their Charm May Chill You

A female psychopath’s charm can feel unsettling or overly intense, setting off subtle alarms in those around her. If someone’s charisma or seductive behavior feels “off,” it could indicate underlying nefarious intentions.⁹ Female psychopaths often project confidence in their ability to manipulate, but they may unconsciously give away their true motives. If their actions evoke fear rather than trust, it’s crucial to listen to your intuition.

13. They May Share Stories of a Checkered Past

Research shows that female psychopaths often engage in deviant behavior from an early age.¹¹ Young girls who may later show signs of psychopathy show an absence of emotion and lack of remorse for their actions even as children. They may have severe conduct problems that are evidenced by their delinquency and engagement in criminal behaviors. They may share stories of prior misdeeds with a flat affect due to their lack of shame or regret.

14. They Act Out With or Without Provocation

Female psychopaths may exhibit aggression impulsively, without clear provocation, or in retaliation for perceived slights. While they tend to favor relational aggression over physical violence, their impulsive and irresponsible tendencies often surpass those of their male counterparts.¹¹ Their unpredictable behavior can manifest as verbal attacks or social manipulation, whether stemming from proactive aggression (without cause) or reactive aggression (triggered by a specific event).

15. Eye Contact May Be Surprisingly Elusive

Eye contact can be a revealing telltale sign of psychopathy. Female psychopaths often avoid direct eye contact, especially when the other person exhibits fear or distress.¹² Another subtle clue is their lack of spontaneous head movements during interactions, as research indicates they tend to appear rigid or controlled in their physical demeanor during conversations.

Differences Between Psychopathy in Men & Women

Most research shows that men are three to five times more likely to become psychopaths than women.^2,3,7 However, some experts believe that the gender disparity isn’t actually this large, and note that signs of a psychopath female are different and harder to detect.^2,3 For example, female psychopaths are less likely to be physically violent and also more social and emotional, which contradicts the classic portrayal of a psychopath.^1,3

Some of the main differences between male and female psychopaths are:^1,3,6,7,8,10

• Male psychopaths use physical aggression or behavioral aggression while females use indirect or relational aggression
• Male psychopaths commit more crimes than female psychopaths, and specifically more violent crimes than females
• Male psychopaths show less interest in forming relationships or being liked and accepted than female psychopaths
• Male psychopaths are more likely to be cold, detached, and unemotional, and female psychopaths are more emotional, dramatic, irritable, and impulsive
• Male psychopaths show earlier antisocial traits and behaviors (before the age of 10) than females do (usually in their teens)

How to Deal With a Female Psychopath

Psychopaths have the most severe form of antisocial personality disorder, and are dangerous because they lack the ability to feel empathy or remorse.^5,6 While female psychopaths tend to be less physically violent, they are still dangerous people who are very likely to lie, steal, cheat, and manipulate other people.

Female psychopaths are more likely to develop relationships with people before they victimize them, making them even more of a threat to those who allow them into their lives.^1,3,8

For these reasons, it’s recommended to cut ties with a female who shows signs of being a psychopath. When this isn’t possible, limiting interactions, setting boundaries, and keeping your distance from them is recommended. Those who have had relationships with a sociopath or a female psychopath may also benefit from seeing a therapist, especially if they’ve been victimized. Using an online therapist directory is a good starting place because it allows people to narrow their search and choose a therapist with a specific speciality in APSD, but you might also benefit from an online therapy platform so you can work with your therapist virtually.