A narcissist will talk about himself, a sociopath will get you to talk about you.
A narcissist will introduce topics of interest or concern to himself, a sociopath will introduce topics of interest to you.
A narcissist wants to be perceived well, a sociopath wants to be perceived in whatever way will best suit his purpose.
Both ignore social rules, but a narcissist does it out of lack of awareness, while a sociopath does it to manipulate situations for his purpose.
A narcissist is somewhat hapless and unaware of his personality predicament his behavior and his effect on others; a sociopath is likely to be aware he is different from people who experience empathy and knowingly use this difference to get his way.
A sociopath is pre-occupied with winning, while a narcissist is preoccupied with being appreciated and admired.
A sociopath is a stimulation junky seeking ways to avoid boredom, while a narcissist may or may not be oriented to high stimulus activities.
A narcissist is unaware of the aggravating effect he has on others, while a sociopath is very aware of the effect on others.
A narcissist may demean you, be a bully, or mess with your career if he perceives you as a threat, while a sociopath will knowingly try to take you down or out altogether if you get in his way. A sociopath is likely to be cunning, patient and strategic in this process. He plays a long game while a narcissist plays a shorter term game.
A narcissist doesn’t mind working hard if it leads to approval, while a sociopath manipulates to do as little work as possible for the purpose of having money without expending effort.
A narcissist will have many relationships that end badly, while a sociopath is more likely to cut and run altogether once their manipulations are revealed or thwarted.
Both are chameleon-like and adapt their stories to please their particular listeners, however a sociopath may skirt closer to the edge of believability somehow managing to get you to doubt yourself rather than the fantastic story.
A narcissist is likely to adapt better to a work situation in established organizations with clear rules and social codes while a sociopath will prefer a start up or entrepreneurial environment where the rules and social codes are not clear.
A narcissist will get frustrated that his attempts to interact with empathetic people seem to go awry; he’ll feel like a victim because his efforts don’t work. A sociopath will not feel this sort of frustration, he processes what other people would consider to have emotional import as neutral information.
Both can make poor collaborators and team members. With a narcissist it’s due to poor social/emotional skills, self-orientation, and hapless attempts to get their own needs met, while with a sociopath it’s due to manipulation to get out of work, thwart others, win out, and get what they want.
More at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-schenker/working-knowledge-how-to-_b_10722026.html
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