Psychopathy and Sociopathy, too often, people use the terms “psychopathy” and “sociopathy” interchangeably. The confusion is understandable since individuals with both such traits lack empathy and disregard the rights of others. Also, some people exhibit a mixture of sociopathic and psychopathic traits simultaneously making it harder to diagnose their condition. Finally, sociopathy and psychopathy aren’t diagnosed as standalone conditions but instead as one umbrella condition called antisocial personality disorder (ASPD).

Despite the confusion surrounding the terms, there are ways to distinguish the two concepts. Here are five differences to help you distinguish sociopathy and psychopathy below.

1.     Origin

Experts believe psychopathy is linked to genetics. Regarding psychopathy being genetic, there’s technically no “psychopathy gene.” Instead, research has consistently shown that it tends to run in families. Although no child is born psychopathic, some children are predisposed to psychopathy thanks to their parents carrying one or more genetic variants.

Conversely, sociopathy is believed to result from environmental factors. An example of an environmental factor that can cause it is childhood trauma. When a child experiences physical abuse or witnesses it, the traumatic experiences can cause impairment in empathy and conscience formation. Also, people brought up in high-crime neighborhoods are likely to become sociopaths. It happens when people experience hopelessness (e.g. due to unemployment) and engage in antisocial behavior like other criminals for their survival.

2.     Criminality

Psychopaths can be hard to spot due to how cool and calculative they tend to be. That’s because they’re able to commit crimes for a long time without getting caught. Such people know how to blend in with the rest as though they were just as innocent. Therefore, psychopaths are more likely to engage in criminal activities than sociopaths.

As for sociopaths, they are more prone to spontaneous crimes (e.g. arson and vandalism), aggression and acts of violence. Typically, they don’t take time to plan and are usually led by their emotions. Due to lack of emotional instability and impulse control, sociopaths are easy to spot as they tend to engage in crimes publically.

3.     Emotional Response

Individuals with psychopathy exhibit a limited range of emotions. At first, they will appear charismatic or charming, but their emotional shallowness becomes clear when it comes to connecting with the emotions of others. A good sign is when the psychopath remains cold even after watching a funny YouTube clip. Therefore, to connect with others, they mimic emotions to fit in or to manipulate others.

On the other hand, sociopaths can display a broader range of emotions. The problem is that they tend to express themselves more erratically and unpredictably. Although they find it difficult to tame their emotions, they’re able to exhibit some remorse for their actions. However, the remorse is usually more self-focused than empathy-driven. For instance, they will only become regretful once the law has caught up with them.

4.     Social Functioning

Psychopaths often thrive in social situations because they can present themselves as charming, caring and confident. The aim of appearing likable is to form and maintain superficial relationships. After that, they attempt to manipulate them once they discover the weaknesses of their victims following their interactions.

Conversely, sociopaths struggle to integrate within society due to showing visible signs of social dysfunction, such as impulsiveness, violence and lack of social conformity. Such noticeable habits cause others to distance themselves from them. Therefore, they’re unlikely to manipulate others by pretending to be charming as that would take time. Since they are impatient, they will lose it.

Conclusion

The aim of this article isn’t for you to begin diagnosing others with psychopathy or sociopathy. After all, some individuals can exhibit traits from both psychological disorders. Instead, you should leave the diagnosing to mental experts. However, by understanding the general traits of antisocial personality disorder, you can protect yourself and suggest they receive assistance.