The specific conditions of a pandemic are more easily tolerated by defiant, reckless and brazen people who are prone to psychopathy, Italian researchers from the University of Firenze have concluded.

The paper suggests that social isolation due to COVID-19 may lead to serious psychological consequences, including increased stress and depression. According to the study, people with traits characteristic of psychopathy – lack of empathy, social dominance, manipulativeness, impulsivity and desire for thrills – survived the restrictive measures better and had lower stress levels.

The survey was conducted between 10 March and 2 June 2020. The final sample consisted of 619 people with an average age of 31.3 years.

Experts agree that psychopathic traits generally allow a person to better cope with crisis situations. At the same time, people with such traits can harm their loved ones – for example, by going to restaurants and concerts without a mask during a coronavirus infection due to a reduced sense of danger.