She’s using her bad qualities for good.
Model and former Miss World Australia contestant Kanika Batra-Matheson, 28, shocked her followers on social media when she revealed her sociopathic personality type.
According to Psychology Today, a sociopath is defined by unethical behavior that consistently demonstrates their lack of conscience, victimizing others through regular exploitation, manipulation and lying for their own benefit.
With millions of views on TikTok, Batra-Matheson frequently shares the key signs that someone in your life is a sociopath — and uses their own tactics to expose them.
If the eyes are the window to the soul, pay attention to the ones that stay open.
“I had to teach myself to blink more frequently so I wouldn’t freak people out,” Batra-Matheson has said on TikTok. She explained that sociopaths often look “dead” in the eyes and give an emotionless, blank stare.
Previous research has shown that sociopaths and psychopaths, who are similarly cunning and even more antisocial, blink less, on average, than those with a healthy mind.
Batra-Matheson also recommends performing what she calls a “s—t-test,” a veiled power play intended to gauge a person’s willingness to ingratiate you — whether for good or ill. The term was spawned out of the womanizer’s playbook.
Sociopaths are skilled liars and slick talkers with an innate ability to gain favor with others. One way they do this is through “mirroring,” attracting a target by matching their energy.
“The way I do this is by saying something absolutely ridiculous and seeing if they’ll mirror me,” said Batra-Matheson.
For example, “I tell them that I spend my free time knitting,” the beauty queen continued. “Somehow they knit as well, or their uncle does,” she claimed with an eye roll.
As a final resort, Batra-Matheson said she’ll provoke the suspected sociopath with a “range of emotions.”
“The mask of sanity and kindness slips very fast at this point,” she warned in conclusion.
The mental illness advocate has previously explained via social media that her sociopathic personality spawned from her “traumatic” childhood and hopes that sharing her experience will challenge others to be more aware of bad actors in their lives — and to understand by they’re unable to authentically connect with others.
Despite Batra-Matheson’s experience as a self-proclaimed sociopath, experts say that sociopathy — which is not a diagnosable condition but rather a collection of personality traits that is usually associated with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) — is very hard to spot in real life.
Bill Eddy, a licensed clinical social worker based in San Diego, California, wrote in Psychology Today that “sociopaths have one of the most hidden personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder), and one of the most dangerous.”
“They slip under our radar because they put so much energy into deceiving us. But most people don’t know what to watch out for and are shocked at how they can be manipulated. Anyone can be a target.”
Those who suspect a sociopath in their midst should be on alert for tall tales, inconsistent behavior and your own emotions.
“It’s often your emotions that first tell you to beware,” Eddy wrote.
“Trust your feelings more than their words. If you have an uncomfortable or extreme feeling, check it out.”
