A layperson's term for somebody with
antisocial personality disorder: somebody who lacks a
conscience. This is somebody who knows right from wrong, but doesn't care because he/she does not think in those terms; they care about their own benefit, regardless of who is in the way.
The sociopath is very often thought of as a
serial killer, but that represents only a small portion of them; sociopaths can be anybody.
Sociopaths come in these basic types:
Common: A simple lack of conscience and lack of proper
integration into society, they're
feral children grown up.
Alienated: Alienated from other people, they have trouble empathizing with others.
Aggressive: Comes with a consistent
sadistic streak.
Dissocial: Abides by gang rules and morals that antagonize mainstream society.
The sociopath generally holds at least three of the following seven traits:
1. Failure to conform to social norms, including behavior that warrants
arrest.
2.
Deception; they're
glib,
pathological liars, and
manipulators, often use false names.
3.
Impulsive behavior; failure to plan ahead.
4.
Irritable and
aggressive, frequent fights or attacks.
5.
Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others.
6. Consistently
irresponsible; their work behavior is often
inconsistent, they can be
catastrophic parents.
7. Without
remorse; will
justify stealing or hurting others ("if you hadn't dressed like that, I wouldn't have
raped you").
Unlike psychopaths, who are have fearlessly reckless
temperaments, don't feel stress, and are nearly impossible to socialize, sociopaths are generally made and have relatively normal temperaments and are more easily agitated. Most sociopaths are the result of over
burdened,
inadequate parents and the wrong set of
peers and an unstable environment, but can be properly socialized in better settings with stable, competent parents and adequately adjusted peers. The psychopath is found in every social class while the sociopath is generally from poor neighborhoods. The psychopath feels nothing for others but will care for others if it suits their purpose while the sociopath can feel
empathy and remorse in specific contexts; the psychopath's crimes tend to be
meticulous while the sociopath's crimes tend to be sloppy and
erratic; the psychopath can escape undetected for years while the sociopath is more easily discovered.
