A psychology question.

[white_wolf]

Jon Stewart is interviewing someone who has done a book on psychopaths and he describes them as having no anxiety, this got me thinking, what is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath? I've always thought sociopaths were people who really had no emotion or empathy for others, but the person Jon is interviewing seems to be describing psychopaths that way as well, he mentions a lot of CEOs are psychopaths. So, I'm wondering what is the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath?

[LiberalLoner]

1. Well, I thought one term was just the old word for it and one term

was the new word for it. By that I mean, both words mean the same thing, just that one is old-fashioned and not used in psychiatric circles any more. I read that somewhere anyway.

What really amazed me was the percentage of the population that is supposedly psychopathic. This really is just not a safe world, that's all I can say.

[Lint Head]

2. The term sociopath as a diagnosis has basically been retired by modern psychiatry

They refer to it as Antisocial Personality Disorder. A psychopath plots without any empathy for the negative impacts to other human beings. Psychosis is more moderate and is systematically driven. Example: When people hear voices that no one else can hear.

[glinda]

4. Narcissistic behavior seems to me to be a precursor to Sociopathic behavior and as I

understand it, Psychopathic behavior is a more severe development beyond Sociopathic behavior. Just what I have read because of a crazy uncle I have attempted to understand.

[Odin2005]

3. Sociopath = made bad (by environment). Psychopath = Born bad.

[glinda]

5. "Again" I am looking for that term "when many gather together" and they

all possess disorders of this nature.
I really believe that this is in part what is happening with the crazy selfishness happening right now.

[canetoad]

6. Much of the time on DU

A sociopath is someone with whom you disagree and a psychopath is someone you strongly disagree with.

[Newest Reality]

7. It is all a matter of context.

Do you agree or don't you? Do you like it or not? Do you feel obliged to judge it or think about the behavior at hand? Who originally decided the value or sanity of the behavior at hand and who is to benefit or lose from that standpoint?

Sinners can become Saints, and the even the greatest as compared to the most common of us. Yet, we judge and decide, not by own own understanding and effort, but by what we are told and accept in the way of a believing that allows us to survive in world based not on what is actual and before us, but what is considered to be real and true by decree, and nothing more.

What is is based on what you actually are to yourself as a natural being. The rest is nothing more than commentary. If you were to judge yourself and others, as well as the world around you, based on that, you might have more of a liberated and natural understanding of your place in it all and feel far more comfortable with your comprehension.

[elocs]

8. Just examine the definition of the 2 terms:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sociopath

sociopath: a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/psychopath

psychopath: A person with an antisocial personality disorder, especially one manifested in perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior.

Now for psychopath I chose a definition further down the page since I believe it tends to reflect the difference most people seem to have in understanding the two terms, that is that a psychopath is an antisocial personality with a criminal bent.

On edit, check this link: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-psychopath-and-a-sociopath.htm

"What is the Difference Between a Psychopath and a Sociopath?":

Both the psychopath and sociopath fail to feel remorse or guilt. They appear to lack a conscience and are completely self-serving. They routinely disregard rules, social mores and laws, unmindful of putting themselves or others at risk.

Of the more distinguishing traits, some argue the sociopath to be less organized in his or her demeanor, nervous and easily agitated – someone likely living on the fringes of society, without solid or consistent economic support. A sociopath is more likely to spontaneously act out in inappropriate ways without thinking through the consequences.

Conversely, some argue that the psychopath tends to be extremely organized, secretive and manipulative. The outer personality is often charismatic and charming, hiding the real person beneath. Though psychopaths do not feel for others, they can mimic behaviors that make them appear normal. Upon meeting, one would have more of a tendency to trust a psychopath than a sociopath.

[elocs]

9. Great quote: "I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath, do your research."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9sUVrVS4co

From the highly, highly recommended new Masterpiece Mystery production of Sherlock Holmes: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BViNDHp6rHA

Even if you are not a Sherlock Holmes fan (I'm not really) you may well like this one. It is on PBS, but is available on Netflix streaming video.