inSync for life Psychology
  • Home
  • Services
    • Supervision
    • Counselling >
      • General
      • Drug and Alcohol Counselling
    • Relationships, Sexuality, Intimacy
    • Mediation
    • Assessments >
      • Forensic Psychology
      • Child Development Assessment
      • Intellectual and Cognitive Assessments
    • Workshops >
      • Managing The Emotional Storm
      • Circle of Security
  • About
    • Our Team >
      • Steve >
        • Steve: Training & Development
      • Helena >
        • Helena Training & Development
      • Joshua
      • Carl
      • Mary
      • Caroline
      • James
      • Kerry
      • Natasha
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • Counselling Links
    • Forensic Psychology Links
    • Workshop Links
    • Relationship Tips
    • 5 Tips to Better Therapy
    • Sexuality Quiz
    • The Gottman Method for Healthy Relationships
    • Relationship and Sexual Health Links
  • Work with Us
    • clinical psych information
  • Contact
  • Newsletters
    • Counselling Newsletter
    • Forensic Psychology Newsletter
    • Relationships, Sexuality & Intimacy Newsletter
    • For Health Professionals
    • Previous News Items
  • Emergency Telephone contacts
  • Downloads
  • Bunbury Office
  • Wait Times
  • The Gottman Method and Helena
  • Feedback page

Psychopaths...and Sociopaths... The Difference?

30/5/2018

2 Comments

 
The Paths - inSync for Life - Counselling and Psychology

Delving into the murky waters of Psychopaths and Sociopaths

For those working in the mental health field… and others interested in this fascinating area of psychology.

Do you know the difference between a Psychopath and a Sociopath?
 
One of the most common misconceptions, even in the mental health field, is that they are one and the same…with essentially the same diagnosis.
 
Unless you are specialised in researching or working in this area, it can be a murky place to delve into.  While both share some distinctly similar features, the behavioural patterns and lifestyle choices are often separate and strikingly different.
 
So what is the difference??   Well, the first clue is in the name of each:
sociopath and psychopath.

A sociopath is thought to have developed persistent ‘bad’ behaviours through their experience of society, this can be anything from extensive childhood neglect or trauma, to perceived slights from society.

When you meet or interview a sociopath they will often refer to the unfairness of the world or the unjustness of society.

​They will also often show hints of empathy or at least offer insight that they once did feel remorse or love or significant emotion.
 
From my experience, sociopaths appear to have been born with the same ability to love and feel just like any other person in society. It has been their experience in the world that has led them to behave in ways that most of society finds incomprehensible.
 
Now, this is different for the psychopath: for these individuals, feeling empathy, remorse or love is an alien concept.

Indeed, they can describe it to you in dramatic and fascinating language.

Yet most will openly admit that they simply cannot feel these emotions and in fact view such emotions as weakness.

Bob Hare, the pioneer for psychopathic personality research aptly noted: “they can sing the lyrics but they will never respond to the melody”
 
A psychopath can almost be described as a caricature of a person: everything about them needs to be that bit more pronounced and dramatic…their only ‘fear’ is that the mask of sanity, which they wear each day, may slip and their vagueness may be revealed.
While all of this sounds dramatic and intriguing, the truth is, psychopaths and sociopaths are not really what society may imagine.
 
Television programs such as Criminal Minds and CSU, typically portray Psychopaths and Sociopaths as people lurking in dark alleys ready to pounce and murder kittens at any given time.

While in rare cases there are such individuals, the reality is, we are surrounded every day by individuals with these traits. It might be:
  • That ambitious banker who aggressively pursues and gets every promotion
  • The politician who wins every election, by telling us what we want to hear
  • or that medical specialist who climbs the ranks at an exponential pace
 
Psychopathic traits provide them with the impetus, the motivation and the direction to achieve at a high level.
 
But…while they might indeed achieve, these are also the individuals who have just as much ability to wreak havoc with the lives others in the subtle but devastating fashion that our ‘paths’ thrive on.
 
When working in the area of mental health and the law, it is imperative to have an understanding of individuals with the traits of Sociopaths and Psychopaths, particularly when it comes to understanding the limits in diagnosing individuals with either of these constructs.
 
Australia is lagging behind when it comes to accepting these characteristics.
To further complicate the issue, there is significant confusion about the use of the term ‘Antisocial Personality Disorder’ as an ‘all-in-one’ label for psychopathy and sociopathy.
But that’s a topic of another newsletter!

In the meantime, let us know what you think…

Ciara Togher 
DOWNLOAD PDF
2 Comments
myassignmentwriting link
27/7/2018 10:16:46 pm

This insyncforlife blog has been giving us and updating about sociopaths and the difference and more to know on health topics. The delving into the better area essentially the same lifestyle childhood.

Reply
Steve link
20/4/2021 09:47:13 am

The stereotyped traits of sociopaths are their incapability to identify wrong and right and their manipulativeness. They lack empathy, particularly an inability to feel remorse for their actions, and because of this, people would tag them as dangerous. If you confront them about their actions, don't expect them to show remorse and change their ways. They also might give someone bad advice, use misinformation, and blackmail to get what they want.
The statements, although literally true, are nevertheless misleading. Sociopaths are not all violent criminals, nor are they emotionless people. They just happen to be different in their way of thinking, feeling, and living.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2018
    November 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Topics & Authors

    All
    Ciara Togher
    Crime
    Criminogenic
    Firesetting
    Paths
    Steve Jobson

    RSS Feed

  At inSync for life, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community, and we pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging
privacy policy
terms and conditions
copyright statement
Copyright © inSync for life 2024
  • Home
  • Services
    • Supervision
    • Counselling >
      • General
      • Drug and Alcohol Counselling
    • Relationships, Sexuality, Intimacy
    • Mediation
    • Assessments >
      • Forensic Psychology
      • Child Development Assessment
      • Intellectual and Cognitive Assessments
    • Workshops >
      • Managing The Emotional Storm
      • Circle of Security
  • About
    • Our Team >
      • Steve >
        • Steve: Training & Development
      • Helena >
        • Helena Training & Development
      • Joshua
      • Carl
      • Mary
      • Caroline
      • James
      • Kerry
      • Natasha
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • Counselling Links
    • Forensic Psychology Links
    • Workshop Links
    • Relationship Tips
    • 5 Tips to Better Therapy
    • Sexuality Quiz
    • The Gottman Method for Healthy Relationships
    • Relationship and Sexual Health Links
  • Work with Us
    • clinical psych information
  • Contact
  • Newsletters
    • Counselling Newsletter
    • Forensic Psychology Newsletter
    • Relationships, Sexuality & Intimacy Newsletter
    • For Health Professionals
    • Previous News Items
  • Emergency Telephone contacts
  • Downloads
  • Bunbury Office
  • Wait Times
  • The Gottman Method and Helena
  • Feedback page