Are Psychopathic and Sadistic People Appealing as Dates? Evidence from a Speed-Dating Study

When it comes to dating, most people say they’d avoid “psychopathic” or “sadistic” partners. But do we actually avoid them in real-life romantic encounters?

This Discourse will define psychopathy and sadism, review research on how these traits can shape dating success, and share findings from a recent study designed to test this question directly. Using University of Alabama students, the study examined how people higher in psychopathy and sadism come across in brief speed-dating interactions, including whether they’re perceived as more attractive or mean, and whether they’re more or less successful at securing second dates.

Will Hart got his bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2004. He went on to earn his Ph.D in social psychology from the University of Florida in 2009. After completing his Ph.D., he had a 1-year stint as a methodologist and statistician at the National Opinion Research Center. In 2011, he joined the faculty…