h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Big question, I know, but if someone to give me the gist of the difference.

A sociopath is someone who is incapable of - or deliberately flouts - what society perceives as normal social conventions.

And a psychopath is where you ride your bike.

B

Thanks Mu, that was about 50% helpful.

If it was going to be anyone it had to be... wait, what am I saying? The list of suspects for trotting that hoary old chestnut out is as long as your arm around here

Psychopathy and sociopathy aren't really terms used in science, as far as I'm aware. I'm not sure that there are scientific or medical definitions for them, or distinctions between them.

Wikipedia says 'no psychiatric or psychological organization has sanctioned a diagnosis titled "psychopathy"'.

There's a very good series of entries in the Guide on Mental Health, starting at A646148.

The word "psychopath" only occurs a couple of times in them, and then not in a scientific context.

As someone pointed out, these are not particularly scientific terms.

I was an RMN for a number of years and have a little experience.

A psychopath tends to be applied to personality disorders where the person lacks empathy.

Sometimes they may be criminals who will casually hurt others and feel little compunction. as opposed to those who do feel remorse. An example might be a bag snatcher who will take an old woman's pension near Christmas time, because he wants to go to the pub. And a withdrawing drug addict, so desperate to get just one more fix, he steals an old lady's bag. Both criminals. But the drug user will probably feel bad.

Psychopaths are not necessarily criminals though. Many company directors, financial managers, politicians, clergy and strangely, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, (which I am) may be psychopaths. Less likely in policing, prison officers, British military officers,(don't know about other nationalities), teachers.

A socio-path is an American term which is sometimes used here, mainly in newspapers and such. It is popular because of TV. Essentially, it refers those who are disconnected with society but seem to lack other symptoms. They tend to ignore laws, are unable to establish themselves in a career and lack formal education while having, usually, above average to high intelligence.

When used in the UK, it is generally either a journalist or perhaps a health/welfare professional talking (down) to a journalist.

Woah, I'd forgotten I asked this question. Thanks Spacial, that's pretty much exactly the answer I needed.

I know a psychopath online. He's a lovely guy. He says he's been formally diagnosed and everything. He's fine, it's just that empathy doesn't come very naturally to him: he's had to train himself and consciously think about it.

TRiG.

Wa'al, ya left one out.

The term antisocial is official, but frequently misused.

I vividly remember conversing with a woman who described her son as 'antisocial', by which she meant shy and socially avoidant, which he was.

I'm quite sure she had no sense that she'd just called him a psychopath.

The term 'antisocial' is one that should never be used unless one means a conscienceless con artist.


The term 'psychopath' is a colloquial catch all for criminal tendencies need need in any kind of psychopathology.

The term need need

Continuing where I left off when interrupted by buggy software;

The term 'psychopath' is a colloquial catch-all for any kind criminal tendencies rooted in psychopathology.

The use of the term is officially discouraged in the social sciences, but is usually better understood in the vernacular than 'antisocial'.




The term 'sociopathic' is even more problematical, less we'll defined and more vague, with an implication of something subcultural attached.

A term to be avoided.

Notes on the buggy software, the word program that came preinstalled with the Verizon Wireless Ellipsis 7 tablet, with Chrome OS.

They may eventually the word program fixed, but I am not sure it can be fixed and think it needs to be replaced.

a sociopath is pretty much a psychopath wannabe.

Psychopathy and sociopathy are two different facets of antisocial personality disorder, which is diagnosed in about 1-3% of the population. It is more common in men and mainly in people suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction and substance abuse. Psychopaths are more manipulative and charming, it is easier for them to create the appearance of a normal life and minimize their participation in illegal activities. Sociopaths are more eccentric, easily fall into a rage and are unable to lead any normal life. They do evil recklessly and without thinking about the consequences.

Apologies for the delay, I was fending off a sociopath.

The experience taught me that there is only one difference between the two; psychopaths were BORN that way. Otherwise, they're the same.

Source: therapy

There's substance to that.

They often pride themselves on "knowing all the answers".