What makes up a psychological thriller?

I already have a bigger idea of the type of film I'm going to be creating and the type of budget that is going to support it and keep it in check, but I'm not quite sure yet on the direction that I want it to go.

One of my main choices is a psychological thriller. Movies like The Silence of The Lambs and Black Swan are among the top of my lists simply because they are so well thought out and produced. I love films that explore the human mind and its condition in several instances. It makes the viewer think and it has the shock factor and thrill that keeps the suspense coming and the plot of the story interesting. 

I found this article as I researched online for characteristics and qualities found within these types of "psychological thrillers". According to Goal Auzeen Saedi, the article's author, "smart audiences appear to be intrigued by complex storylines that when throughly plausible in real-life heighten their sense of fear."

Fear, although not an entirely desirable emotion for humans, is actually successful in gaining attention and captivating the audience. People feel for those victimized in thrillers and therefore they create a direct connection with the character. 

"But in reality, “psychological thrillers” are more creepy than psychologically relevant. They sometimes exploit and glamorize notions of severe mental illness and do not do justice to the complexities of these conditions. Most often the information they provide is incomplete, if not incorrect. If there is one thing they actually do well, it is heightening paranoia of film audiences. They leave people trying to determine the “signs” of sociopaths and psychopaths even though neither term is actually used clinically by psychologists."