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I'm a diagnosed psychopath - here's the conversation trick I use to manipulate people
Psychopaths are master manipulators. Because they lack empathy, they're able to be cold, callous and calculating in any interaction.
Diagnosed psychopath Vic 'Path' recently shared her go-to tactic for manipulating others - and it's surprisingly simple.
'If you want somebody to tell you something, if you suspect somebody is lying, or you just don't want to talk, use this,' she said.
'When someone else finishes a sentence, don't say anything. Just sit and look at them.'
She uses this tactic to manipulate people on a daily basis, she said.
Diagnosed psychopath Vic 'Path' explains her go-to manipulation tactic: awkward silence.
For non-psychopaths, letting a conversation stall to silence can feel awkward and uncomfortable.
That's because unexpected silences trigger a stress response in the brain.
When conversation stalls, the amygdala - the part of the brain that controls our flight or fight response - starts sounding alarm bells.
This is why long gaps in conversation make people feel anxious, and can pressure them to fill the awkward silence.
'So that person will keep talking, they'll just keep going with whatever topic they were just talking about,' and divulge more information, Vic said.
'It works even better if you have an expression on your face like you're expecting them to say more.'
This can be especially useful if you suspect the person you're talking to is being dishonest.
'If they're lying, their lies will get more obvious to spot because they'll just keep filling the silence with more lies,' Vic said.
Vic was diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) when she was 19 years old, and has been a master manipulator since childhood.
People with ASPD typically exhibit manipulative, reckless behavior, as well as a lack of empathy and respect for others.
Their tendency to manipulate others is driven by self-interest - specifically a desire for power, pleasure, material or financial wealth, or elevated social status.
Vic identifies as a psychopath and creates educational TikToks about her experience with ASPD that help people understand how psychopaths think.
Her condition is very rare. An estimated 1 to 4 percent of US adults have ASPD, and the disorder is three times more common in men than in women.
But not all people with ASPD are psychopaths. Only about 25 to 30 percent of people with ASPD meet the criteria for psychopathy.
Other common tactics that psychopaths use to manipulate people include gaslighting, guilt tripping, lying, and disarming them with their charm.