The Psychopath Test

[Dan Rowden]

If you pass this test, you may need to see a doctor.

To find out, please read the question below, and try to come up with the right answer.

This is NOT a trick question.

The question is exactly what it is; there are no games. No one I know so far has got it right . . .

A woman went to the funeral of her own mother. There, she met a guy whom she did not know. She thought the man was amazing. Really amazing. She fell in love with him right there, but never asked for his number and could not find him again. A week later she killed her sister.

Question: What is her motive for killing her sister?

Give this some thought before you look at the answer.

-

Answer (highlight text between the brackets below to read):

[She was hoping the guy would appear at the funeral again.

If you answered this correctly, you think like a psychopath. This was a test by a famous American psychologist used to test if one has the same mentality as a killer. Several arrested serial killers were given test and answered the question correctly.

If you didn’t answer the question correctly, good for you. If you did, admit it, and look for a good doctor.]

[Imadrongo]

Edit: I peaked. Yay I got it right. What a dumb question. How could anyone not figure that out? You don't need to be a psychopath to figure that out.

[Dan Rowden]

I didn't get it. You're now officially disturbing, Neil. I also removed where you stated the answer.

[Nick]

The answer appears so simple after it's revealed. It's seems like the kind of connection a child's mind might make.

[Iolaus]

I know a perfectly nice (smart) guy who answered that question correctly in the military and was looked at askance, and felt pretty worried about himself.

I figured it out, too.

[Imadrongo]

I would hesitate to call anyone intelligent if they couldn't get the question, knowing that this was a psychopath. There is a world of difference between doing the action and answering the question correctly.

[Dan Rowden]

Not from the point of view of psychologists. I thought of a couple of rather devious answers but the one they give never occured to me at all.

[Shahrazad]

I got the correct answer, but I suspect it's because I had heard the question before.

I need to run that one by my kid.

-

[Shardrol]

I first saw this test several years ago & coincidentally just asked someone about it tonight before I read this thread (she didn't get it).

My understanding is that you're not supposed to tell people that the test has anything to do with psychopathy because then some people try to figure out what a psychopath would answer rather than just spontaneously answering like a psychopath because they really do think that way.

The advice about seeing a doctor is also ridiculous since it's well known that psychopathy is pretty much untreatable.

PS Approximately 5 out of 25 people I've asked it to have gotten it right, including one family where the man, woman & both sons got it. I didn't.

[Iolaus]

I put no stock in it at all. Perhaps it is an urban myth that psychologists used it.

[Shardrol]

Yes I think you're right. The people I know who answered correctly weren't remotely psychopathic.

[Dan Rowden]

As far as you know :)

[skipair]

I got it right. I know how to think like a woman to some extent. Not sure that makes me a psychopath.

....orrrrr does it? hahahaha. I'm gonna go paint my nails.

j/k

[Imadrongo]

It is revealing that everyone other than Dan got it right. :)

[Iolaus]

It's true that I knew it was a psychopath test, and might not have gotten it otherwise.

[Dan Rowden]

It is revealing that everyone other than Dan got it right. :)

Yes, it obviously means you're all raving psychopaths. It's not like anything new has been revealed ;)

[Katy]

Dan, I don't understand how you missed it, given that I'd told you the answer last time I brought it up. Sher, you have heard it before. About a year ago or so I posted it at FP. You didn't get it that time.

[nitty-gritty]

I heard this riddle from a friend and I didn't get it either. The answer like with most riddles seems obvious after you're told what it is. However, with this particular riddle the answer seems less obvious then the question.

A person that did get the answer may have simply been lucky -- Sorta like a non-enlightened person experiencing moments of pseudo-enlightenment.

[Shahrazad]

Sher, you have heard it before. About a year ago or so I posted it at FP. You didn't get it that time.

Yay! I'm not a psychopath.

[vicdan]

I knew this puzzle, but the first time I heard it, i couldn't figure it out either. My mind simply doesn't run in the direction of killing someone for personal gain. It never even crossed my mind.

[Pye]

(okay, vicdan . . . . I've just spent 5 minutes with pencil and paper trying to work out the rhyme for "Forethought" that goes with the "Venus Wednesday" that I can easily hear. help? I find that the more interesting puzzle right now, psychopathic or otherwise ;)

[vicdan]

it has nothing to do with rhyme. :) if you figure it out what each of those three represents, you will figure out what i stand for.

of the three, one is the key but also the wall. let me know if you need another hint.

[Nick]

I didn't get it, I just said it appeared simple after it was revealed.

[Pye]

no, don't hint me further just yet, now that I'm steered away from horrible punning . . . .

[Pye]

Is Wednesday/Wodan something to do with Mercury?