This is one of the simplest and strongest tools you can ever learn. Every person has a baseline, which is how someone normally behaves when they feel calm and not threatened. Before you try to figure someone out, pay attention to things like how they look around, how they blink, how much they move their hands, how they sit, their normal speaking speed, and how expressive their face usually is. Once you know what normal looks like for them, the test becomes easy. Wait for a moment when pressure increases and then watch what changes.
Narcissists fail this test instantly because their whole identity is a performance. They are constantly trying to look impressive, confident, or in control. But when emotional pressure hits, it short-circuits their performance. A narcissist’s behavior will suddenly shift. Their blink rate jumps. Their voice cracks or slows. Their shoulders tighten. Their chest collapses. Their face freezes. Their body becomes stiff or protective. These are baseline breaks, meaning their behavior suddenly changes from their normal state. This matters because normal people get emotional; narcissists get disrupted. Their whole body goes into self-protection mode. This is why narcissists fail baseline tests—they cannot keep their fake self together once pressure hits.
Test Number Three: Blink Rate Changes.
This is one of the most powerful signs you can use, and it’s super easy to notice. You don’t need to count blinks; just pay attention to whether the blinking is normal, much faster, or almost completely gone. Here’s how Chase Hughes explains it: Low blink rate equals deep focus, while high blink rate equals high stress. This is why blink rate is such a strong test: you cannot fake it; you cannot control it. Your body reveals stress immediately. In the example from our transcript, the woman’s blink rate jumped from 15 to 20 blinks per minute to around 80. That’s not proof she lied, but it is proof that her stress exploded the moment she started talking about her night. Narcissists cannot hide this. Their blink rate will always shift when they feel exposed, pressured, criticized, caught, or when they feel they are losing control.
And here’s something even more important: narcissists also show a drop to zero blinks when they feel predatory or emotionally focused on you. When you share something vulnerable, their blink rate often stops completely because they’re studying you, not caring, not comforting—just analyzing.
This brings us to one of the biggest tests of all.
6 Things Narcissists Do That Make Super Intelligent Empath Feel Stupid