Psychopath vs. Sociopath: What Makes Them Different?

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Psychopaths and sociopaths are both antisocial personalities, can get highly aggressive and violent, show complete disregard for social rules and social behavior standards, and do not feel any remorse after their crimes. So, what truly distinguishes them?

To get an idea about their differences, notice who the best fictional ones are:

• Best movie psychopath = Anton Chigurh in “No Country For Old Men.”
• Best movie sociopath = Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho.”

Chigurh is exotic-looking, ruthless in killing, operates outside the conventions of justice and morality, is dedicated to his job, and always plans his next move. He is cold and seems born with his criminality.

Bateman is unorganized, nervous, agitated, and unpredictable, and has little empathy for most people. He used to have a normal family, life, and job until a trauma made him into a cruel person. He had a normal past and now suffers from anxiety.

Psychopaths are more dangerous than sociopaths because of no attachments, no fear of consequences, high calculativeness, and near-zero guilt or remorse.

Psychopath vs Sociopath: What are the main differences?

Many of us use “psychopath” and “sociopath” often interchangeably, but psychology points out some vital differences in their personality traits.

1. Origins and Causes:
   • Psychopathy is linked to a genetic or biological abnormality present at birth. The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart found that psychopathy is 60% heritable.
   • Sociopathy is likely the result of environmental factors, such as extreme adverse conditions or events, permissive styles of parenting, or the absence of a father figure.
2. Development:
   • Psychopaths are often considered to be born with their condition due to a brain defect.
   • Sociopaths typically develop their condition over time, likely as a result of environmental factors.
3. Prevalence:
   • Psychopaths make up approximately 3-15% of individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD).
   • Sociopaths constitute approximately 30% of individuals with APD.
4. Characteristics:
   • Psychopaths do not bond with anyone and lack guilt and remorse. They are less impulsive and more able to hide within the community.
   • Sociopaths bond with a primary group but no other groups. They are more impulsive and erratic, and more likely to be arrested. They may experience some degree of remorse and guilt toward the group or person they identify with.
5. Behavior Patterns:
   • Psychopaths are more calculating and often plan meticulously before acting out. They can easily fool others with their charm and polished behavior, and are not easily angered. They show outright callousness to others’ sufferings.
   • Sociopaths are characterized by excessive boasting, risk-taking, impulsiveness, antagonistic behavior, and a lack of interest in long-term relationships. They are more agitated and easily angered, leading to violent outbursts.
6. Emotional Connection:
   • Psychopaths do not bond with anyone, though they may give the impression they are bonding.
   • Sociopaths bond with a primary group (e.g., family, gang) but with no other groups.
7. Employment and Criminal Behavior:
   • Psychopaths may have stable employment or minimal employment history and are less likely to be arrested. Treatment may help them become better at deviance.
   • Sociopaths have difficulty maintaining employment and are more likely to be terminated from treatment programs. Their crimes tend to be more spontaneous and less well-planned.
8. Neurological Aspects:
   • Psychopathy has been scientifically suggested to be associated with a lack of proper brain development. They specifically have a defect in a structure in the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for fear conditioning. However, more research is needed to fully conclude its neurological underpinnings.
9. Treatment:
   • Psychopaths have no known effective treatment and may become better at deviance through treatment intervention. They are not deterred by punishments. Psychopathic killers can kill for the thrill or excitement of it, drawing a rush or a sense of power from the act of killing.
   • Sociopaths also have no known effective treatment and are more likely to fail treatment and refuse to cooperate with treatment staff.

So, as we find, psychopathy is a personality disorder mainly characterized by a lack of empathy, remorse, and conscience. Sociopathy is also a personality disorder, mainly characterized by a disregard for the law and social norms.

Please note that the distinctions of these conditions can vary among psychology professionals.

Psychopathy: Origin & Etiology

The term “psychopath” was first coined by Hervey Cleckley in his 1941 book, “The Mask of Sanity.”

Cleckley described psychopaths as people who are superficially charming but lack empathy, remorse, and conscience. They are also often manipulative, deceitful, and impulsive.

In 1991, Robert Hare developed the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), a 20-item rating scale that is used to diagnose psychopathy. The PCL-R has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of psychopathy.

Psychopaths are thought to be born with a brain defect, which derails their processing of fear and social/moral inhibitions.

Researchers have found that psychopaths have structural and functional differences in the brain compared to non-psychopaths. These differences include:

• Reduced activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain that is involved in processing emotions such as fear and empathy.
• Reduced volume in the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that is involved in decision-making, planning, and impulse control.
• Increased activity in the striatum, a region of the brain that is involved in reward processing.

These findings suggest that psychopathy is a brain disorder characterized by faulty emotional processing, poor decision-making, and a high drive for rewards.

Psychopathy is not part of the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).

Characteristics and Manifestations of Psychopathy

Psychopathy (Antisocial Personality Disorder or APD) is often associated with a certain degree of cold-heartedness and a lack of empathy.

Psychopaths are typically characterized by their callous lack of regard for others’ rights, feelings, and well-being. They are unbothered by punishment.

They are often manipulative and deceitful, and have a high degree of superficial charm that they use to their advantage.

However, beneath this veneer of charm and normalcy lies a lack of conscience and a propensity for impulsive, reckless, and often dangerous behavior.

Overall, approximately 1-3% of the general population is likely to have psychopathy (Hare & Neumann, 2008).

It is estimated that 11% of female violent subjects are psychopaths, as compared to 31% of male violent subjects who can be accurately labeled with APD (Grann, 2000).

Approximately 20 to 30% of the prison population is psychopaths (García & José, 2012). García & José also found that those prison inmates who lived in their original homes for a shorter time were more likely to be psychopaths.

“Findings suggest that the lesser the time subjects spent in their homes of origin, the higher their level of psychopathy will be. The subgroup of subjects diagnosed as psychopaths lived at their homes of origin an average of 13 years while inmates not diagnosed as psychopaths lived at their homes of origin an average of 18 years.”

– García & José, Family and socio-demographic risk factors for psychopathy among prison inmates, 2012

How Is Psychopathy Diagnosed: Signs and Symptoms

Psychopaths are diagnosed based on three factors:

1. Interpersonal factors. Their glibness, superficial charm, grandiose sense of self-worth, and pathological lying. They are manipulative, lacking in remorse or guilt, and display a shallow affect.
2. Affective factors. Their callousness and lack of empathy. They fail to accept responsibility for their own actions and exhibit poor behavioral controls.
3. Lifestyle factors. their parasitic lifestyle, with a lack of realistic, long-term goals. They are impulsive, irresponsible, and often engage in criminal behavior.

Adolf Hitler and Ted Bundy are classic examples of psychopaths.

Sociopathy: Origin & Etiology

Sociopaths are also characterized by a disregard for the law and social norms. The cause of sociopathy, or Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

However, it is more likely that childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect contribute to ASPD. In sociopathy, environmental influence appears to have a more significant role.

Characteristics and Manifestations of Sociopathy

Sociopathy, while also characterized by a lack of empathy and disregard for societal norms, has its own distinct features.

Unlike psychopaths, sociopaths do not lack empathy or remorse.

Sociopaths are often impulsive, erratic, unpredictable, and violent, compared to psychopaths. They often have a history of aggressive outbursts and criminal behavior.

Sociopaths struggle to form plans and maintain consistent behavior, which often leads to constant instability in their lives.

Unlike psychopaths, who can often blend into society undetected, sociopaths tend to stand out due to their erratic behavior and difficulty adhering to societal norms.

Did you know that these people are masters of a special gaze called sociopathic stare?

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria: Major Signs and Symptoms of ASPD

The DSM-5 lists the following as the major diagnostic criteria for ASPD.

A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:

• Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest. This may include things like theft, assault, or vandalism.
• Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure. People with ASPD may be very good at lying and manipulating others.
• Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. People with ASPD often act without thinking about the consequences of their actions.
• Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults. People with ASPD may be prone to violence.
• Reckless disregard for safety of self or others. People with ASPD may engage in risky or dangerous behaviors without considering the consequences.
• Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations. People with ASPD may have difficulty holding down a job or paying their bills.
• Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another. People with ASPD may not feel guilty or remorseful for their actions.

A diagnosis is made when these patterns are consistent and severe, leading to significant distress or impairment.

In popular culture, the term “sociopath” is commonly used to describe characters such as Norman Bates from “Psycho” and Patrick Bateman from “American Psycho.”

Further Reading

• The Criminal Psychopath: History, Neuroscience, Treatment, and Economics, Kiehl, K. A. (2011)
• Psychopathy: Developmental perspectives and their implications for treatment, Anderson & Kiehl (2014)
• The Difference Between a Psychopath and a Sociopath, Mattingly, Molly (2017)
• Psychopathy versus sociopathy: Why the distinction has become crucial, Pemment, J. (2013)
• Handbook of Psychopathy, Edited by Christopher J. Patrick (2019)

Final Words

Both psychopathy and sociopathy pose dangers for society at large, mainly because of their inability to empathize with others.

Most dark personality disorders have been traced to problems in childhood and family structure due to parental divorce or death (Rutter, 2005). Attachment theory suggests that children who lack attachment to an adult figure are unable to empathize and care about others (Van der Horst, 2011).

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√ Also Read: How To Unmask That High-Functioning Psychopath?

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