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December 10, 2025 11 mins

Welcome back to Where's Your Headline At! We recently came across a study saying that women are more attracted to men with psychopathic traits (and we want to unpack and challenge it). This also raises the conversation: what are we initially attracted too when we see someone? Enjoy x

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Study finds men with psychopathic traits are more attractive to women.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Hello man, good morning Anna.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Where's Swede's header's heads on my book?

Speaker 3 (00:14):
We have Swayed in the studio today again trying not
to get distracted, but he is so cute.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
He is distracted.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
He's very cute, and he's being fed as we speak.

Speaker 4 (00:24):
Yeah, he's being fed currently. Okay, let's talk about this article.

Speaker 3 (00:28):
It says confidence, charm, and a calm voice can sometimes
hide something darker. The cologists found that traits linked to
manipulation and risk taking often came across as confidence or
charisma in social settings, creating an illusion of control that
many people subconsciously find attractive.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
On that, do you find a nonchalant man attractive? Kind
of okay? Why I've had someone recently say, like, nonchalant
man's it's just a cop out for just being like lazy, uninterested.

Speaker 4 (01:00):
Well, I mean I think it depends the context.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Context is everything, it is, right, So nonchalant man would
be someone that's just what they're saying.

Speaker 4 (01:08):
Not really like giving a fart.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, just chill. I'm not nonchalant, you.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Know, I'm like one, I'm like trying to figure out
like what you're saying, you are lucky because you're like
obviously thinking whilst reading this, like, yeah, I'm ticking all
those books.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
No, I actually was thinking of yeah, confident, charming. I
don't really have a calming voice. I don't mean people
who listen to this would probably agree I'm not really
calm voiced, am I.

Speaker 4 (01:32):
I mean, you don't have a stressful voice.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
If I'm risy, listen to a.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
Podcast if you had a stressful voice, so you might
have a calm.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Voice maybe maybe, I mean I was yeah, I just
thought that was coming across as a nonchalant man. I
was sort of giving psychopathic vibes. Yeah, but yeah, I
don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
This study is really interesting because it was published in
twenty twenty three and it's basically come from women having
really brief conversations with men and how they found those men.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
This study was published in twenty twenty three by researchers
at the University of British Columbia and they tested how
women rated men's appeal after a brief conversation, and those
who scored high were actually on the psychopathic scales and
were constantly viewed as more self assured socially skilled and

(02:22):
psychologically more attractive, which I'm surprised.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
I'm not. It doesn't surprise me.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
Really, I think a lot of the men, I mean
a lot of people who you're attracted to, if they're
like giving out confident vibes, if they're charismatic, like that's
who that's the type of personality that's going to lure
you in.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
May I'm maybe I'm just thinking about psychopaths. I'm thinking
of like.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
You're thinking like the ultimate end of the Scalers.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
I am, Yeah, I'm thinking about like you know, the
peare Bundes, yeah, Ted Bundy's or the picture here from
something of the movie. But like when they play psychopaths,
that's what I'm more thinking about, like the crazy killers,
the science or the lean like that sort of stuff.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
But obviously it's a scale and having a bit of
confidence in charm or you're quite confident and like funny,
or you can walk into a room and you.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Know, are you talking to me about me?

Speaker 4 (03:14):
Or I actually knew, dude, you'd be fucking high out there.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
I actually be tested. I'm not.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
You can't get tested. You can't tested with being a psychopath.
People who are psychopaths would be able to manipulate the testers.
It's not a thing people aren't going to open.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
I actually have heard that that, like you can't they
don't know enough about narcissists and or the psychopaths because
they don't actually go to get tested.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, it's like people who are like they'd be quite
like smart and they'd be able to suss out the
situation and be able to manipulate people.

Speaker 4 (03:48):
Meant like my covers were.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
Blown, saw me.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
Oh no, I'm have you chosen this article?

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Just no, I haven't.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
I found it very interesting that because I feel like
I would wanted your opinion. Do you think that you
are attracted to more psychopathic man?

Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh, I've dated definitely like my fair share of psychopathic
man at my time, for sure. And like I don't
think there's anything wrong with being attracted to someone who's
confident and charismatic.

Speaker 4 (04:17):
But like you said, there's a scale.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
So everyone's on the It's like, what do you mean,
Like there's.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
And I'm sure that there's confident men out there who
aren't psychopathic.

Speaker 4 (04:27):
In any way, so like you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Like, so it's scientists suggests they may come with the
ability to mirror body language, maintain intense eye contact, and
project dominance, which is all I feel on a date
or what a woman talking to a guy would appreciate. Yeah,
don't you reckon those qualities.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
Intense eye contact like that? Like, what's intense eye contact?
You know, when you're like intense psych contact you are?
Now it's kind of freaking me out intense eye contact,
Isn't it?

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Always tell me to give you eye contact while talking
on the podcast?

Speaker 4 (05:00):
I haven't said that.

Speaker 5 (05:01):
I've literally never said that.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
To know that I'm listening and concentrating.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
No, that's when you're texting on your phone and I
say stop texting, we're recording.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
They can wait.

Speaker 5 (05:17):
No.

Speaker 3 (05:17):
But like I think, Okay, intense eye contact is different.
I think if someone's giving intense eye contact.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
I'm really self conscious about my eye contact.

Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yew, eye contact. They just don't think about it.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Try not to look at sway.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
Because there's there's a level like there's people who give
like no eye contact, and then you feel uncomfortable that they're.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
Not looking at you.

Speaker 3 (05:36):
But then the other end of the spectrum where we're like,
you know, when you're looking at someone, they just won't
look away from you, so then you feel like you
have to look away, and then you're you shouldn't ever
be thinking about your eye contact.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
I agree, I agree.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
I feel like from a young age, my mum was
sort of like instilled in us when you talk to someone,
give them eye contact. So I think that then from that,
like from a young age, it's just you don't think
about it because you're always doing it.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
But your eye contact's not awkward until you start talking
about it, and then now you're now.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
It's pretty awkward. Is it's pretty book?

Speaker 1 (06:05):
The findings highlight how charisma and danger can overlap in
subtle ways, making psychological awareness a quiet form of self projection.

Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yeah, okay, speaking of psychopaths, I have another one, and
I just thought this was I don't know, I don't
know if I agree with this, so I'm going to
read out the headline. It says people with mental problems,
including psychopaths, often say their favorite color is blue. Now
I think that that is a bit ridiculous.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
What does the study say first, before I say.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
My thing, what is your favorite color blue?

Speaker 2 (06:37):
No? No, my favorite color is red, black, and gold.

Speaker 5 (06:40):
That's right, But that is so strange. You can't have
three I've had it since I was like three years old,
four years old, you can't get rid of it. Yeah,
It'sesdon winning the Grand Final. Yea red and black for
them and the gold for the cup.

Speaker 4 (06:53):
Mine is pink.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
But like I think, like in basic gender terms, like
when you're very young, told like girls are in pink
and boys are in blue, and obviously that's not true,
but like, I feel like a lot of boys favorite
color is blue.

Speaker 4 (07:09):
So you can't then say they're.

Speaker 3 (07:11):
All psychopaths or whoever has their favorite color is blue
is a psychopath.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
That's just ridiculous.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Are you calling all boys psychopaths?

Speaker 3 (07:18):
No, I'm saying they can't all be Surely, I'm hoping that.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
I read the infinite and I'll tell you my opinion.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
Okay, So, a behavioral study has found that individuals with
certain mental health disorders, including psychopathy and depression, often identify
blue as their favorite color. Psychologists believe this preference may
reflect emotional detachment or a subconscious desire for calmness and control.
Blue is traditionally associated with tranquility and stability, yet it

(07:48):
can also symbolize sadness and isolation, emotions frequently reported amongst
those with psychological imbalances.

Speaker 4 (07:55):
Ah, I see.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
While color preference alone doesn't indicate mental ill, research says
it provides fascinating insight into how personality, traits and emotional
states manifest in subtle ways.

Speaker 1 (08:08):
So I remember when I was feeling really down and isolated.
I remember I called my mom or FaceTime my mom,
and I was like talking to her and I was like,
I'm really depressed. I was like, look at the new
shirts I bought, and I was like, they're all blue.
I'm like, isn't that the color of like depression? And
she was like, no, I don't think that that's a
sign of how you're feeling. And I was like, well,

(08:29):
I feel like I am. That's why I thought it
was funny when you said this article, because I was like,
I've actually literally had that exact thing happened to me.
I bought a bunch of blue shirts. I'm like, that's
just my conscious telling me I'm depressed.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
It is interesting, how like the colors that you like,
or your preference in colors do kind of say something about.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
You pink, so you're serotypy.

Speaker 4 (08:53):
Can we look it up? I'm actually interested.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
Now let's see what the colors are and what they mean,
because surely black would mean to press. Don't you think
maybe not?

Speaker 3 (09:02):
We're just fresh, okay, So I've just looked it up.
What does your favorite color say about you? So you're blue?

Speaker 2 (09:08):
No, I'm red.

Speaker 4 (09:09):
You're red? Okay? Fuck, well we don't have gold.

Speaker 3 (09:14):
So red passionate, energetic, ambitious, Yellow, optimistic, creative, communicative, Blue, honest, friendly, reliable, Green, generous, positive, diplomatic, Orange, enthusiastic,
social and adventurous. Purple imaginative, intuitive, emotional, Brown, realistic, genuine, dependable, black,

(09:36):
which is also you, determined, independent, and mysterious. Ink, which
is me romantic charming and caring, romantic charming.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
I think they were all just the best bits of them.

Speaker 3 (09:50):
I mean, this is kind of feels a bit like
star signs. It's like but I think in some weird way,
like maybe it is like the colors you like are
in your deeper Well, that's.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
What That's what I meant. I said to my mum.
I said, I'm buying blue stuff because I'm depressed.

Speaker 4 (10:04):
And I don't you always buy a blue stuff? No,
I'm more of a black yeah okay, or a printed
tea serious.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
Yeah, mysterious, or a printed tea. I love a printed tea.

Speaker 4 (10:13):
Well, so you stopped wearing printed teas incrementally.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
For blue shirts and blue shirts only.

Speaker 4 (10:19):
I've never seen you wear a blue shirt.

Speaker 2 (10:21):
I never wore them because I thought I'm not that depressed.

Speaker 3 (10:24):
You cannot tell me that Matthew's a Cowsie bort A
shirt and didn't wear it.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
I actually have a lot of shirts I haven't worn yet.
I don't think we've touched on this on the podcast
for a while.

Speaker 1 (10:33):
However, how I used to always change my shirts between
each other the first time, I haven't done that for
a while.

Speaker 4 (10:38):
I don't know how you can be bothered, but anyway, and.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
I would look and see which ones I had worn
and which ones I hadn't worn, just for the sake
of just continuity, continuity continuity to break up the episode
so we knew.

Speaker 3 (10:49):
Okay, guys, make sure you send us in your headlines.
We want to react to the ones that you think
we should make sure that it's juicy matt until next time,
and bye bye. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
I
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