The term "sociopath" is used to describe someone with an antisocial personality disorder (ASP). People with ASP can't understand the feelings of others. They often break rules or make impulsive decisions without feeling guilty about the harm they cause. They constantly manipulate and deceive for their personal gain. Despite this persistently negative behavior, they are often perceived as charming and charismatic.
However, people with ASP often do not realize that they are exhibiting this behavior. For many of them, the diagnosis is therefore not made.
Characterize
Someone who exhibits selfish behavior or acts aggressively is not necessarily a sociopath. For a diagnosis of ASP, a person must exhibit certain consistent behaviors. In sociopaths, such behavior patterns include:
- Lack of empathy for others
- Impulsive behavior
- Attempts to control others with threats or aggression
- Use intelligence, charm or charisma to manipulate others
- Don't learn from mistakes or punishment
- Lying for personal gain
- Show a tendency to physical violence
- Generally superficial relationships
- Sometimes steal or commit other crimes
- Problems with responsibilities such as a job, paying bills, etc.
There is no clinical difference between a sociopath and a psychopath. These terms are typically used interchangeably to refer to people with ASP. Most experts believe that psychopaths and sociopaths have a number of traits in common. Thus, they have no sense of what is good and bad. Also, they often cannot understand or share the feelings of another person.
Sometimes the distinction is made according to the severity of their symptoms. Based on that, you can define a sociopath as someone who commits only minor transgressions that do not cause serious harm or suffering. A psychopath, on the other hand, is more likely to be physically violent or put others at risk. Another difference is that the heartless, deceitful behavior of a sociopath is mainly shaped by environmental factors, such as child abuse, while psychopathy is innate and immutable.
Sociopaths, by the way, show less consistent behavior than psychopaths. Psychopaths are more controlled and charming. Their manipulation is more distant, and they plan ahead. Sociopaths experience anxiety and find anger much harder to control. They can act without thinking and, as a result, they may have a harder time adjusting. There are more contradictions between what they say and what they do. However, both disorders are on a spectrum, which makes it difficult to determine which term is best applicable.
