Scholars and researchers of psychological theories, notably those of the psychoanalytic theory founded and systematized by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) have been asking what is psychopathy and sociopathy; if both concepts exist, or if one is synonymous with the other, or if there is no such concept as sociopathy, but only psychopathy. Many wonder that if both concepts exist asown categories, what are the approximations and distances.

Understanding psychopathy and sociopathy

It has become common to call the psychopath an oligophrenic in one of its three subphases, idiot, imbecile, or mentally retarded person who does not understand well the society he lives in and performs various acts that communities do not accept. The expression 'careful, he's a psychopath' has become popular jargon, or the use of the expression, 'that person is a sociopath.

The first attempt to understand the two concepts as independent categories established that psychopathy is considered an innate and peculiar condition of the subject (person), something singular, that is, he/she is born with psychopathy.

And that sociopathy is built and developed during a person's life, in their interactions and intersections either through trauma or through the relationships they have. The sociopath comes to be considered as an individual who has an antisocial personality disorder and lacks empathy.

The sociopath and his impulsive ways

The sociopath cannot put himself in the person's place and understand the social reality in which he is inserted, because, while the psychopath is cold, calculating, manipulative, and a born liar, the sociopath acts in a more impulsive and irresponsible way.

Researchers believe in the theory that psychopathy, besides being, as already mentioned, an innate condition, would have in theory, and a priori, its origin in a genetic flaw that impairs the development of the parts of the brain that have a connection with emotions and feelings, impulse control, empathy, and morality.

This thesis is based on studies of several brain scans conducted in different parts of the world.

The Antisocial Personality Disorders

In the USA, in Minnesota, researchers analyzing the subject analyzed twins raised separately and concluded that psychopathy would be 60 percent hereditary.

However, many researchers and analysts believe that psychopathy can be acquired through trauma during childhood; whereas sociopathy could or may be related to the environment and the form of upbringing a person receives, showing that external factors play a very strong and relevant role in the development of what they call APD, Personality DisordersAntisocial where sociopathy would be in theory, acquired during life.

So, as far as the origin is concerned, psychopathy would be associated with a congenital precondition, innate in the person as hereditary, but it can also be acquired by traumas during the person's existence, notably in childhood.

Psychopathy and sociopathy and the lack of empathy

In sociopathy there is already a consensus that it is an antisocial personality disorder. Contact with the community can generate sociopathy in the perception of many researchers and analysts. Both conditions generate, according to analysts, problems in social relations.

Psychopaths are unable to create family ties and bonds. They have no empathy, attachment or feelings of guilt, and are almost always very manipulative, social predators, and unlike sociopaths who can create bonds and attachments, feign feelings of guilt.

The psychopaths

Psychopaths are explosive and violent while the sociopath can even get and keep a job and live in a structure of pretense, being impulsive and spontaneous. They have a certain relative empathy with the people around them, usually family and close friends, and may feel guilty for hurting or hurting people.

Psychopaths, on the other hand, take certain calculated risks as in fraud schemes and other premeditated infractions, and tend to minimize or erase traces and evidence. Sociopaths often practice non-criminal social transgressions, civil, tax, and administrative offenses, spontaneously, and usually leave evidence behind.

Global researchers of the phenomenon estimate that the planet has about 1% of its population psychopaths and about 4% sociopaths.

The Similarities between psychopaths and sociopaths

Similarities between psychopaths and sociopaths have been pointed out as both suffer from APD, antisocial personality disorder, which is listed in DSM-10, the WHO manual of mental disorders.

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Both show contempt for social rules and standard behavior, with the social paradigms. And both feel no remorse or guilt, although some theoretical analysts believe that the sociopath can feel guilt.

The differences pointed out by researchers and analysts of the two concepts, as independent concepts and their own psychological categories, the origin of psychopathy and sociopathy are determined as a disorder; psychopaths are considered in the literature even by police officers as cold, calculating, constant manipulators, classic liars, born liars as they are called.

The sociopath's impulsiveness

The sociopath, on the other hand, is impulsive by nature and tends to be almost always irresponsible.

But sociopaths tend to seek a certain empathy by creating affective emotional bonds, and are not considered to have an explosive and troubled temperament.

The divergent researchers who believe that the two categories do not exist, and that only the psychopath exists as a carrier of psychosis, dismiss all these considerations. They are deniers of sociopathy and psychopathy as a personality disorder.

The biases of psychopathy and sociopathy

It is worth pointing out that the DSM-5, unlike the DSM-10, which deals with the ICDs, the former, prepared by the APA, American Psychiatric Association, understands the phenomenon as a mental disorder.

This manual has been used by North American psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists. It is also worth noting that psychopathy has been considered in the US and Western Europe as a more serious form of sociopathy. It is agreed that the psychopath has no conscience because he has a brain lesion that affects the reality test.

For more skilled analysts, accustomed to locating and contextualizing sociopaths, they list ten indicators that help to find such individuals in the social fabric. The sociopath finds it easy to lie and manipulate, often by propping up the lie; they make up stories, create false enchantments, are cruel with words, have no empathy, do not feel remorse easily, although someanalyzes realizes that they might feel. They have difficulty apologizing, do not have stable interpersonal relationships, and always make the same mistakes.

Beyond the differences between psychopathy and sociopathy

Analysts use a common criterion to differentiate the psychopath as being a person with a good tongue, a fiery ego, a pathological liar, who has a thirst for adrenaline, a burst and impulsive reaction, antisocial behavior, an absence of empathy and guilt, childhood misconduct, and irresponsibility. However, some analysts warn that the topic is not an easy one.

Several experts have erred in the characterization of the psychopath and in differentiating him from the sociopath, which is why the so-called Robert Hare scale, 1991, emerged, which is nothing more than a 'check list' to verify whether a person is a psychopath or not.

The criterion has a score from 0 to 40, where a person reaching a score of 30 points or more is characterized as a psychopath. The Hara scale is known as the PCL-R and has been validated in Brazil.

The test is applied by asking about a situation that aims to clarify the following points:

1. Does the person have 'excess glitter' or 'superficial charm' ?
2. Does the person have excessive self-esteem?
3. The person needs constant stimulation, dislikes monotony and is prone to boredom ?
4. Is the person a pathological liar, one who takes pride in deceiving people?
5. Is the person always manipulating ?
6. Does the person show a total lack of remorse or guilt?
7. Does the person have "superficial affection" or "superficial feelings"?
8. Is the person insensitive or has a complete lack of empathy?
9. The person has a "parasitic lifestyle", always taking advantage of others ?
10. Does the person have great difficulty in controlling his attitudes?
11. Does the person have a history of promiscuous sexual behavior ?
12. Does the person have a history of behavioral problems in childhood ?
13. Does the person have no realistic long-term goals?
14. Is the person excessively impulsive?
15. The person has a high level of irresponsibility
16. The person does not take responsibility for his own actions, he always puts the blame on other people ?
17. Does the person already have many short-term "conjugal" relationships ?
18. Does the person have a history of juvenile delinquency ?
19. Has the person ever experienced a "parole revocation" ?
20. Does the person exhibit "criminal versatility" ?

Understanding the results

Once the PCL-R test or exam is administered, and if the person gets a score of 30 points where they answered yes, or even answered "somewhat" or "definitely" to most of these questions, then they have the pathological condition. Scores less than 30 points, the person is not a psychopath, but may be a sociopath.

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Finally, regarding treatment, for psychopathy, the recommended treatment has been psychotherapy in interface with Psychiatry using medication, i.e., a psychopharmacological course. On the other hand, it is also worth pointing out that there is a test for sociopathy.

The test is called the IDR-3MST based on professional research and has been used for educational and preventative purposes for psychopathy. Therefore, also other tests to be operationalized focus on sociopathy.

Final considerations

The tests usually ask whether the person is easily involved in unnecessary risks or dangerous behavior, whether he/she can easily manipulate others, whether he/she likes to practice false charms, whether he/she is cruel with hurtful words and phrases, whether he/she empathizes with others, whether he/she feels guilty for mistakes, whether he/she can apologize and forgive, whether he/she feels afraid among other standard questions. Ultimateexpose that the subject is complex and requires further study.

This article was written by Edson Fernando Lima Oliveira ( [email protected] ), graduated in History, post-graduated in History; graduate in Philosophy, PG in Political Sciences, and student of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Philosophy.