We’re told that victims attract predators. But how? Last time we discussed psychological factors that mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and adult revictimization. This time, let’s talk about how bodily movement – specifically, characteristics of walking – can signal an easy mark to a psychopath.
This is the summary episode of the research.
If you’re a goddamn nerd or somethin, check out the full version of the show, where we also run through the research excerpts that might really butter your biscuit.
Today we’ll be looking at the paper:
Psychopathy and Victim Selection: The Use of Gait as a Cue to Vulnerability
Angela Book, PhD, Kimberly Costello, PhD, and Joseph A. Camilleri, PhD
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
2013
Where they tell us:
Ted Bundy once claimed he could read a victim by her manner of walking. Is that fact or one of his famous fictions? We know that nonverbal signals are detected by others, helping them to understand our personalities and life qualities. Does it also suggest vulnerability? It could, through revealing factors of dominance or submission, confidence, ease of physical assault… and perhaps victimization experiences.
Men, for instance, are shown to potentially prey upon more submissive women, as determined by watching videos of the women conversationally. Those who used smaller gestures were perceived to be less assertive and therefore better choices for victimizing. And of course, eye contact and posture are correlated with real and judged dominance across the gender spectrum.
On top of these smaller movements, walking gait has been shown as a form of bodily cue that allows predators to accurately assess victims. Signs of vulnerability include extreme stride lengths (long or short), gestured versus postured movements (leading with limbs versus core), and lifting of feet rather than casually swinging them. Less synchronous, more disjointed movements also were indicators of prior victim experiences. It appears that bodily “flow” and “ease” are unattractive to predators. But don’t get too easeful, because slow walking and short strides also suggest vulnerability to sexual exploitation, as judged by “men.”
Now let’s talk about some more extreme personalities.
Research has previously shown that psychopathic characteristics are correlated with stronger memory for exploitable behaviors and ease of victimization. Psychopathic individuals should be especially skilled in detecting these cues, per their aims of manipulating and exploiting others. The diagnosis is defined by lack of empathy, poor behavioral controls, lack of remorse, and cruelty. Violence is not outside their wheelhouse, nor is antisocial behavior. Up to 25% of prison populations are psychopathic individuals, and they may be responsible for half of violent crime. As social predators, they are skilled in noticing and taking advantage of vulnerable others.
So they’re perfect for this research.
Method:
The first study on the subject of psychopathic detection of nonverbal cues utilized undergraduate students – in this study the authors chose to use inmates with at least one violent offense conviction; the majority has multiple. Inmates were allowed to opt in to the study, allowing researchers to access their files. They then watched 12 clips of people walking and rated each on their perceived vulnerability to victimization.
Discussion:
Can psychopathic individuals detect prior victims based on gait? Yes, it appears that they can. The higher the psychopathy score, the greater their accuracy. The authors distinguish that this result is related to the psychopathic traits of manipulativeness, charm, and lack of empathy – the other traits such as impulsiveness may actually make them less effective. So if we care to turn the tables, we should watch out for psychopaths who make poor life decisions as less viable predators.
It is unclear if the detection process is conscious or unconscious, but in the present study, factors such as the individual’s build, sex, and anticipated fitness were key determinants of potential victims – perhaps suggesting some conscious behavior – and inmates with higher manipulative and exploitative scores were also shown to be more conscious of gait when making their judgments.
So, though the responsibility doesn’t lie on us to prevent future harm, what can we do to protect ourselves?
Mind our vulnerable body language, as possible.
From the paper:
Attracting Assault: Victims’ Nonverbal Cues
by Betty Grayson and Morris I. Stein
Journal of Communication
1981
We learn more about the bodily characteristics and signals that put us at risk.
Older men and women are more likely to be assault targets, likely due to the perceived fitness that we just mentioned. Additionally, relative stride compared to height is seen as a potential sign. If the length seems “average,” you are more likely to be left alone. Furthermore, we can watch how the leg moves – if it swings easily from the hip joint as weight is shifted – and if body weight shifts forward and backward or in a full rotation during strides, we’re less preyable.
Also, if we can walk with our whole bodies in synchrony, leading from the core – postural walking – we appear less vulnerable. Gestural movement – separate individual body part movements – suggest dissonance, discomfort, inconsistency. Overall, an identified victim will move one side at a time, rather than contralaterally. Instead of swinging right arm with left leg, they motion right arm with right leg – again, reducing fluidity. And lastly, accurately perceived victims tend to lift their feet, not swing them, which again adds a disjointed effect to the gait.
To conclude?
Aim for an average stride, move your weight in a figure 8 shape, lead from the core, allow limbs to work together with ease and flow, synchronize left arm with right leg and vice versa, and swing your feet – don’t lift them.
These are a few postural ways to impact your perceived victimability. And although it’s not your fault if it happens again, I think we can all agree it would be great if it didn’t.
Thank you for being here, examining both papers:
Psychopathy and Victim Selection: The Use of Gait as a Cue to Vulnerability
Angela Book, PhD, Kimberly Costello, PhD, and Joseph A. Camilleri, PhD
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
2013
and
Attracting Assault: Victims’ Nonverbal Cues
by Betty Grayson and Morris I. Stein
Journal of Communication
1981
Practice your empowered walk, it’s a good way to increase mindfulness and skeletal alignment while you take a stroll. Which is a great way to get out of your head and manage stress while noticing what’s really going on inside that body.
If you care to hear the extra six pages of research excerpts that informed this summary, check that patreon for the FULL CHOMP – a title inspired by Marcus Barkus.
Thanks again for being here, supporting this project when there are so many other ways to spend your time, attention, or money. I love learning about trauma with you.
And until we speak again next time…
Hail yourself
Heal your damn walk.
Come hear me talk about physical therapy, doing just that, after years of perceived victimization, in the bonus episode following this one. DID this paper hit a little too close to home when it spoke about asynchronous movement? Yesh it did. Explains a lot. I’ll tell you what I’ve seen.
And I’ll talk to you soon, as we discuss the VERBAL clues that help them pick us out of a crowd.