Sociopath

Psychopath and sociopath are commonly regarded together as Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). At the physiological level, it is thought that psychopaths have a physical issue with brain wiring whereas sociopathy is an environmental induced behaviour spawned by events in the individuals life.

Healthline.com: "A sociopath is a term used to describe someone who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). People with ASPD can’t understand others’ feelings. They’ll often break rules or make impulsive decisions without feeling guilty for the harm they cause.

People with ASPD may also use “mind games” to control friends, family members, co-workers, and even strangers. They may also be perceived as charismatic or charming."

WebMD said

Sociopath vs. Psychopath: What’s the Difference?

You may have heard people call someone else a “psychopath” or a “sociopath.” But what do those words really mean?

You won’t find the definitions in mental health’s official handbook, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Doctors don’t officially diagnose people as psychopaths or sociopaths. They use a different term instead: antisocial personality disorder.

Most experts believe psychopaths and sociopaths share a similar set of traits. People like this have a poor inner sense of right and wrong. They also can’t seem to understand or share another person’s feelings. But there are some differences, too.

Do They Have a Conscience?
A key difference between a psychopath and a sociopath is whether he has a conscience, the little voice inside that lets us know when we’re doing something wrong, says L. Michael Tompkins, EdD. He's a psychologist at the Sacramento County Mental Health Treatment Center.

A psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. If he lies to you so he can steal your money, he won’t feel any moral qualms, though he may pretend to. He may observe others and then act the way they do so he’s not “found out,” Tompkins says.

A sociopath typically has a conscience, but it’s weak. He may know that taking your money is wrong, and he might feel some guilt or remorse, but that won’t stop his behavior.

Both lack empathy, the ability to stand in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. But a psychopath has less regard for others, says Aaron Kipnis, PhD, author of The Midas Complex. Someone with this personality type sees others as objects he can use for his own benefit.

They’re Not Always Violent
In movies and TV shows, psychopaths and sociopaths are usually the villains who kill or torture innocent people. In real life, some people with antisocial personality disorder can be violent, but most are not. Instead they use manipulation and reckless behavior to get what they want.

“At worst, they’re cold, calculating killers,” Kipnis says. Others, he says, are skilled at climbing their way up the corporate ladder, even if they have to hurt someone to get there.

Source:What’s the Difference Between a Sociopath and a Psychopath?

Healthline said


What is a sociopath?
A sociopath is a term used to describe someone who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). People with ASPD can’t understand others’ feelings. They’ll often break rules or make impulsive decisions without feeling guilty for the harm they cause.

People with ASPD may also use “mind games” to control friends, family members, co-workers, and even strangers. They may also be perceived as charismatic or charming.

How is someone diagnosed as a sociopath?
ASPD is part of a category of personality disorders characterized by persistent negative behaviors.

The new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that someone with ASPD consistently shows a lack of regard for others’ feelings or violations of people’s rights. People with ASPD may not realize that they have these behaviors. They may live their entire lives without a diagnosis.

To receive a diagnosis of ASPD, someone must be older than 18. Their behaviors must show a pattern of at least three of the following seven traits:

  • Doesn’t respect social norms or laws. They consistently break laws or overstep social boundaries.
  • Lies, deceives others, uses false identities or nicknames, and uses others for personal gain.
  • Doesn’t make any long-term plans. They also often behave without thinking of consequences.
  • Shows aggressive or aggravated behavior. They consistently get into fights or physically harm others.
  • Doesn’t consider their own safety or the safety of others.
  • Doesn't follow up on personal or professional responsibilities. This can include repeatedly being late to work or not paying bills on time.
  • Doesn’t feel guilt or remorse for having harmed or mistreated others.

Other possible symptoms of ASPD can include:

  • being “cold” by not showing emotions or investment in the lives of others
  • using humor, intelligence, or charisma to manipulate others
  • having a sense of superiority and strong, unwavering opinions
  • not learning from mistakes
  • not being able to keep positive friendships and relationships
  • attempting to control others by intimidating or threatening them
  • getting into frequent legal trouble or performing criminal acts
  • taking risks at the expense of themselves or others
  • threatening suicide without ever acting on these threats
  • becoming addicted to drugs, alcohol, or other substances
Source: Sociopath: Definition, vs. Psychopath, Test, Traits, and Symptoms

Psychology Today said

How to Spot a Sociopath
16 key behavioral characteristics that define sociopaths/psychopaths and others with antisocial disorders.

Psychologists vie to enumerate the facets of sociopathy. Joseph Newman argues that the sociopath has an attention bottleneck that allows him to focus only on one activity or train of thought, to the exclusion of others. Researchers, including Howard Kamler, say that the sociopath lacks not "moral" identity but self-identity altogether. Yet nowhere do I recognize myself more than in Hervey Cleckley's clinical profiles. In The Mask of Sanity, published in 1941, Cleckley distilled what he believed to be the 16 key behavioral characteristics that defined psychopathy. Most of these factors are still used today to diagnose sociopaths/psychopaths and others with antisocial disorders. (Psychopathy and sociopathy are terms with an intertwined clinical history, and they are now largely used interchangeably. The DSM excludes both, in favor of antisocial personality disorder.)

  • Superficial charm and good intelligence
  • Absence of delusions and other signs of irrational thinking
  • Absence of nervousness or neurotic manifestations
  • Unreliability
  • Untruthfulness and insincerity
  • Lack of remorse and shame
  • Inadequately motivated antisocial behavior
  • Poor judgment and failure to learn by experience
  • Pathologic egocentricity and incapacity for love
  • General poverty in major affective reactions
  • Specific loss of insight
  • Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations
  • Fantastic and uninviting behavior with alcohol and sometimes without
  • Suicide threats rarely carried out
  • Sex life impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated
  • Failure to follow any life plan

Source: How to Spot a Sociopath | Psychology Today

Sociopath Definition: Extremely Antisocial, No Conscience | HealthyPlace
9 Sociopath Traits - Health

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