We see a lot of articles about bad people and how to spot them. You don’t have to Google or scroll far to find headlines like this one: 7 Signs Your Boss is a Psychopath or How to avoid a sociopath neighbor.
The words psychopath and sociopath are often used interchangeably, even when it comes to perhaps the most notorious fictional character with bad behavior: Hannibal Lecter, the cannibalistic serial killer from Star Wars. Silence of the Lambs.
In the book, Lecter is described as a “pure sociopath.” In the film, he is described as a “pure psychopath.” A psychiatrist diagnosed him as “mentally deranged.” others Overall.
So what is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath? As we can see, these terms have been used at different times in history and relate to some overlapping concepts.
What is a Psychopath?
Psychopathy is mentioned in the psychiatric literature From the 1800sHowever, the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) states that Not on the list Treat it as a clinically recognized disorder.
1950s and afterlabels have changed, with terms such as “sociopathic personality disorder” emerging. Antisocial personality disorderThat’s what we have today.
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People with antisocial personality disorder consistently disregard the rights of others. This may include breaking the law, repeatedly lying, acting impulsively, fighting, disregarding safety, acting irresponsibly, and indifference to the consequences of their actions.
To add to the confusion, the DSM’s section on antisocial personality disorder mentions psychopathy (and sociopathy) traits. In other words, according to the DSM, although these traits are part of antisocial personality disorder, it is not a mental disorder in itself.
American psychiatrist Hervey Cleckley In his 1941 book he gave the first formal description of psychopathic traits. Mask of SanityHe based his description on clinical observations of nine male patients in a psychiatric hospital. He identified several key characteristics, including superficial attractiveness, unreliability, and a lack of remorse or shame.
Canadian psychologist Professor Robert Hare In addition to the antisocial behaviors listed in the DSM, we refined these traits by emphasizing interpersonal, emotional, and lifestyle features.
Putting all this evidence together, we can say that psychopaths are manipulative, charming, arrogant, and consistently deceitful. Their affective characteristics include a lack of emotion and empathy, indifference to the suffering of others, and a failure to accept responsibility for the impact their actions have on others.
Finally, psychopaths tire easily, are dependent on others, lack goals, and are consistently irresponsible in their actions.
So what about sociopaths?
The word sociopath was first coined 1930sis attributed to the American psychologist George Partridge. Emphasized The social consequences of habitually violating the rights of others.
Scholars and clinicians often use the terms sociopath and psychopath interchangeably. However, He preferred the term sociopath. This is because the general public sometimes confuses the word psychopathy with mental illness.
“Sociopathic Personality Disorder” The term It was used in the first edition of the DSM in 1952. General opinion At that time, antisocial behavior was mainly Social The environment and behavior were judged to be deviant. Sociallaws, and/or cultural regulations.
Some early descriptions of sociopathy closely resemble what is now called antisocial personality disorder, while others relate to emotional traits similar to Cleckley’s 1941 description. meaning Of a psychopath.
That is, different people think differently about sociopathy, and even today sociopathy is not as clearly defined as psychopathy, so even today there is no single definition of sociopathy, but in general, its antisocial behaviors can be similar to those seen in psychopathy.
Over the decades, the term sociopathy has fallen out of favor. Since the late 60s, psychiatrists have instead used the term antisocial personality disorder.
Born or made?
Both “sociopathy” (now called antisocial personality disorder) and psychopathy have been linked to a wide range of developmental, biological, and psychological causes.
For example, people with psychopathic traits Specific Brain Differences especially In the region Related to emotions, behavioral control, and problem solving. Nervous systemincluding Slower heart rate.
However, sociopathy and its antisocial behavior are a product of a person’s social environment. It happens within familiesThese actions are Related Physical abuse and parental conflict.
What is the outcome?
Despite fictional portrayals like Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs and Villanelle in the TV series Killing Eve – Not everyone People with psychopathic or sociopathic traits may be serial killers or physically violent.
But psychopathy Predict A wide range of harmful behaviors. In the criminal justice system, psychopathy is strongly linked to recidivism, especially of a violent nature.
For the general public, psychopathy is Related Drug addiction, homelessness, and other personality disorders. Psychopathy is Disobeyed COVID restrictions.
However, sociopathy is less well established as an important risk factor for identifying people at high risk of harming others, and sociopathy is not a reliable indicator of future antisocial behavior.
In a nutshell
Neither psychopathy nor sociopathy are classified as mental disorders in formal psychiatric diagnostic manuals. Both are personality traits associated with antisocial behavior and are linked to specific interpersonal, emotional and lifestyle characteristics.
Psychopathy is thought to have genetic, biological and psychological roots and increases the risk of violating the rights of others, whereas sociopathy is less clearly defined and antisocial behavior is a product of the social environment.
Of the two, psychopathy is most useful in identifying those most likely to cause harm to others.
