Psychopathy vs. Sociopathy…
Monday, May 13, 2024.
Psychopathy and sociopathy are terms often used interchangeably in clinical contexts, both referring to folks with antisocial personality disorders.
While these terms are commonly understood to mean the same thing, there are nuanced differences that can impact how these disorders are perceived and treated.
Psychopathy vs. Sociopathy: Is There a Difference?
From a clinical standpoint, there is no clear distinction between psychopathy and sociopathy.
Both terms describe humans who exhibit a lack of empathy and disregard for societal norms and often engage in impulsive and sometimes criminal behavior.
However, in popular culture, sociopathy is sometimes seen as less severe than psychopathy, with sociopaths thought to have some degree of empathy and remorse compared to psychopaths.
Identifying Psychopathic and Sociopathic Traits
Psychopaths and sociopaths share common traits, including fearless dominance and self-centered impulsivity.
Fearless dominance refers to a lack of anxiety and fear, allowing these humans to be charming and bold.
On the other hand, self-centered impulsivity leads them to act without considering the consequences, often engaging in risky and manipulative behavior.
Personality Traits Associated with Psychopathy and Sociopathy
Humans with psychopathy or sociopathy often exhibit low conscientiousness and disagreeableness. They are typically deceitful, aggressive, and arrogant, lacking warmth and empathy.
While they may seek excitement, they do so in a cold and emotionless manner, distinguishing them from more typical extraverts.
Treatment Options for Psychopathy and Sociopathy
Historically, personality disorders were considered difficult to treat. However, recent research has shown that personality disorders can improve over time, even without treatment. However, this issue is still moot, because the research evidence is somewhat contradictory and unsettled.
Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and social and emotional learning interventions have been proven effective in helping individuals with antisocial personality disorders develop healthier coping mechanisms and improve their interpersonal skills.
Systematic treatments for psychopaths are limited and primarily focused on specific types, like violent offenders. Most psychopaths aren't motivated to change, as they often don't perceive anything wrong with themselves.
The Unchanging Nature of Psychopaths and Sociopaths…
In a study examining the behaviors of psychopaths and those with antisocial personality disorder (APD), it was found that these humans tend to remain consistent in their traits and behaviors, even past the age of 50.
The research, which involved nearly 1,000 friends, family members, and partners of psychopaths and individuals with APD, shed light on the enduring nature of their manipulative, deceitful, and abusive tendencies.
Professor Martin Sellbom, a co-author of the study, noted a common belief, sometimes backed by research, that offenders eventually outgrow their antisocial behaviors.
However, this study challenges that notion, suggesting that folks with psychopathic traits often maintain or even escalate their manipulative, deceitful, and abusive behaviors as they age. However, it’s also true that some research has suggested the opposite.
Signs of a Psychopath: Recognizing the Subtle Clues
Many find spotting the signs of a psychopath challenging, but the symptoms are detectable with a keen eye. Two key traits define a psychopath: being callous and unemotional.
Callousness is characterized by a cruel disregard for others. Callous folks lack compassion, appearing cold-blooded and heartless.
Psychopaths often struggle to respond to others' emotions normally, seeming unemotional themselves. For instance, they may display no emotion when witnessing others in pain.
Contrary to popular belief, being a psychopath doesn't automatically equate to criminal behavior, though it can contribute.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Psychopath
Narcissism
Superficial charm
Disagreeableness and low conscientiousness
Manipulative tendencies
Lack of empathy
Fearless dominance and impulsivity
Focus on rewards, ignoring consequences
Proficiency in lying
Causes of Psychopathy…
Psychopathy likely results from various interacting factors, including genetics (a family history of callous-unemotional traits), unusual brain structure, maternal prenatal risks (such as toxins in utero), parental rejection or maltreatment, lack of affection, and brain injury. Notably, it’s axiomatic that most criminal psychopaths have experienced grotesque physical or psychological abuse during childhood.
More Subtle Signs:
1. Professions: CEOs, lawyers, and media professionals have higher rates of psychopathy. While not all in these professions are psychopaths, there's an overlap between psychopathic traits and the personalities drawn to these careers.
2. 'Good' vs. 'Bad' Psychopaths: Primary psychopaths can be cooperative and friendly, while secondary psychopaths tend to be destructive and unhelpful.
3. Sleep Patterns: People with antisocial traits, including psychopathy, are more likely to stay up late, as they thrive in low-light environments.
4. Empathy: Psychopaths often lack empathy, as shown by reduced yawning in response to others' yawns, a behavior linked to empathy and bonding.
5. Criminality: Many criminals exhibit psychopathic traits, particularly impulsivity, antisocial behavior, and a strong focus on rewards.
6. Taste Preferences: A preference for bitter tastes is associated with psychopathic tendencies, while those who dislike bitter flavors tend to be more agreeable.
Understanding these subtle signs can help in the early detection and intervention of psychopathic behaviors.
The Persistence of Anti-Social Traits…
Humans who are personality-disordered typically exhibit a lack of regard for others' feelings and societal norms, often engaging in impulsive or criminal behavior. This behavior is characterized by a disregard for societal rules and standards, mirroring the callous and unemotional traits of psychopathy.
The study also highlighted the impact of psychopathic behaviors on their victims, who reported enduring manipulation, emotional abuse, and other harmful behaviors. Many victims described a worsening pattern of behavior in psychopaths as they aged, with some becoming more overtly cruel and abusive.
Despite the challenges posed by psychopathic behaviors, some research suggests that change is possible, particularly among children with psychopathic traits. However, these traits may be more ingrained and resistant to change for adults.
While psychologists continue to search for effective treatments for psychopathy, the study underscores the importance of recognizing the enduring nature of these behaviors and the need for effective interventions to protect potential victims.
The study, authored by Ms. Donna Andersen and published in the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, provides valuable insights into the unchanging nature of psychopaths and individuals with APD, highlighting the need for continued research and intervention in this area.
What does neuroscience say about psychopathy?
Brain scans of psychopaths reveal their intense desire for rewards, highlighting the neuroscience behind their behavior. According to a recent study, the psychopathic brain is wired to pursue rewards at any cost, releasing four times more dopamine in response to rewards than the average person. This heightened response suggests that psychopaths experience greater pleasure when taking what they want.
Lead author Dr. Joshua Buckholtz explains that this hyper-reactive dopamine reward system may underlie the problematic behaviors associated with psychopathy, such as violent crime, recidivism, and substance abuse.
Psychopaths, known for their lack of fear and empathy, exhibit a strong focus on rewards, as emphasized in the study.
Co-author Dr. David Zald notes that while previous research focused on psychopaths' insensitivity to punishment and fear, these traits are not strong predictors of violent or criminal behavior. Instead, the study suggests that psychopaths are highly drawn to rewards, which can override their sense of risk or concern.
How the study was conducted
The study involved administering amphetamine to participants, including some psychopaths, and scanning their brains to observe their reactions. Those with high levels of psychopathic traits showed nearly four times the amount of dopamine release in response to amphetamine.
In another part of the study, participants were scanned while anticipating a monetary reward for completing a task, with psychopaths showing significantly higher brain activity in anticipation of the reward.
Dr. Buckholtz suggests that due to their exaggerated dopamine responses, psychopaths may struggle to shift their attention away from the potential reward until they obtain it. These findings shed light on the neurological mechanisms driving psychopathic behavior, offering insights into potential interventions and treatments.
Final thoughts
While the terms psychopathy and sociopathy are often used interchangeably, understanding the subtle differences between them can provide valuable insights into these complex disorders.
The underlying traits and behaviors associated with psychopathy and sociopathy are persistly robust in modern American society. We need to learn more.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
Andersen, D. M., Veltman, E., & Sellbom, M. (2022). Surviving Senior Psychopathy: Informant Reports of Deceit and Antisocial Behavior in Multiple Types of Relationships. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X211067089
De Brito, S. A., Forth, A. E., R., A., Brazil, I. A., Kimonis, E. R., Pardini, D., Frick, P. J., Blair, R. J., & Viding, E. (2021). Psychopathy. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 7(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-021-00282-1
Hawes, S. W., Byrd, A. L., Gonzalez, R., Cavanagh, C., Bechtold, J., Lynam, D. R., & Pardini, D. A. (2018). The developmental course of psychopathic features: Investigating stability, change, and long-term outcomes. Journal of Research in Personality, 77, 83-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2018.09.009. (This is an example of research that suggests that anti-social traits might tend to fade over time, which remains an ongoing debate in personality research).
