Whats the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?

[undeterred]

:bounce: :eyes:

[Odin2005]

1. Psychopath: born bad, Soiciopath: made bad by shitty enviroment.

[rug]

2. Teabaggers are psychopaths; Republicans are sociopaths.

[frogmarch]

3. I thought they were the

same thing, but that the term sociopath was more modern. Not saying that's right, though.

[jmowreader]

4. It's subtle but there is one

It's essentially the same thing--psychopathy and sociopathy are both listed as Antisocial Personality Disorder in the DSM-IV. A psychopath is a wolf in sheep's clothing; they use charm and cunning to draw their victims in. Sociopaths are serious assholes; the fuckers scream, rant, rave, make death threats...the DSM-IV lists both under the same diagnosis because the same guy can display both psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies. That psychopath I know is like this; he goes into psychopathy when he wants sex, and sociopathy when he's at work.

[baldguy]

5. Psychopaths can't tell the difference between right & wrong. Sociopaths don't care.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. sociopath is your average rightwinger/tea-bagger. Psychopath is Dubya, Charles Manson, Cheney.

I think of psychopath as a kind of amped up sociopath. Sociopaths are selfish, manipulative, unrealistic about their true selves, don't take responsibility for stuff, thrill seek, are happy to live off others and even take their stuff, but might, at some level, have an understanding that what they're doing is wrong, even if they don't give a shit that they're doing wrong, or maybe think it's funnier because it's wrong.

Psychopaths do the same, but with a more aggressive/angry bent, more amorality, and a sense of enjoyment at cruelty, and rarely have any understanding that what they are doing is wrong. That's the truly sad mentally deficient part of the psychopath - they simply cannot understand that what they're doing is immoral or unethical.

And yes, I really do think, in all seriousness, that Dubya is a psychopath. He fits all the classic hallmarks.

[pokerfan]

7. Long answer from The Straight Dope

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2815/whats-the-difference-between-sociopaths-psychopaths-serial-killers-etc

[undeterred]

8. Wow. Where did this thread go for two days?

Anyway, it seems like the terms are used interchangably, which is confusing.

[MichiganVote]

9. Ther terms are largely interchangable. In practice, psychopaths are

more often than not prone to psychosis. Sociopaths have no conscience.They know right from wrong, they just don't give a damn and have no emotional life to limit their actions.