May 13, 2025 • 11 mins
Psychopath or sociopath — do you really know the difference?
You might think they’re interchangeable, like villains in a Netflix thriller. But in reality, these two antisocial personality disorders are as different as cold calculation and explosive chaos.
In this episode, we dig into the 5 biggest psychological differences between psychopathy and sociopathy — from brain structure and emotional stability, to charming manipulation vs. impulsive outbursts. You'll learn why some people can lie with a smile and never flinch, while others can't fake charm for five minutes.
We cover:
The biological vs. environmental roots of each disorder
How psychopaths stay cool under pressure (and why that's terrifying)
Why sociopaths might snap — and feel a little bad about it
The truth about empathy, conscience, and forming relationships
And why not all people with these disorders are dangerous — but all are misunderstood
Whether you’re into criminal psychology, mental health, or just tired of misusing these terms at parties, this episode delivers clear, eye-opening insight with zero fluff and a hint of dark curiosity.
🧠 Think you can spot a psychopath? Or are you just dating one? Hit play and find out.
🎙️ If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, share it with a true crime or psychology-loving friend, and leave a review to help more curious minds find this show. Your support = our dopamine hit.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mindbenders-brain-teasers-philo-psych--6019641/support.
You might think they’re interchangeable, like villains in a Netflix thriller. But in reality, these two antisocial personality disorders are as different as cold calculation and explosive chaos.
In this episode, we dig into the 5 biggest psychological differences between psychopathy and sociopathy — from brain structure and emotional stability, to charming manipulation vs. impulsive outbursts. You'll learn why some people can lie with a smile and never flinch, while others can't fake charm for five minutes.
We cover:
The biological vs. environmental roots of each disorder
How psychopaths stay cool under pressure (and why that's terrifying)
Why sociopaths might snap — and feel a little bad about it
The truth about empathy, conscience, and forming relationships
And why not all people with these disorders are dangerous — but all are misunderstood
Whether you’re into criminal psychology, mental health, or just tired of misusing these terms at parties, this episode delivers clear, eye-opening insight with zero fluff and a hint of dark curiosity.
🧠 Think you can spot a psychopath? Or are you just dating one? Hit play and find out.
🎙️ If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, share it with a true crime or psychology-loving friend, and leave a review to help more curious minds find this show. Your support = our dopamine hit.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mindbenders-brain-teasers-philo-psych--6019641/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Have you ever met someone you know incredibly charming, but
something just felt a bit off, like maybe that charm
was hiding something else entirely. Well, today we're diving right
into that feeling, exploring the real differences between psychopathy and sociopathy.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's definitely a topic where popular culture tends to blur
the lines, doesn't it. People use the terms almost as
if they're the same thing exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
They get thrown around a lot. But as we'll get into,
there are some really key distinctions in where they come from,
how emotions work or don't work, and how it all
plays out right.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And our goal here is really to unpack those differences
to give you a clearer picture based on how experts
understand these conditions.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Yeah, because both fall under the umbrella of antisocial personality disorder,
but they aren't identical. Think of it as digging into
the specifics.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Good way to frame it, same category, different underlying mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Okay, so let's start at the beginning the origins. This
feels like that classic nature versus nurture debate.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It really does, and with psychopathy, the evidence seems to
lean more towards nature. There's a pretty strong consensus that
it involves innate.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Factors innate how like genetic.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Potentially, Yes, there's research suggesting genetic predispositions, maybe familial links,
and importantly actual measurable differences in brain structure and function.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Wow. Okay, so not just how someone behaves, but their
actual brain wiring might be different from the start.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That's what the medical research indicates. Brain imaging studies, for instance,
often show differences in areas linked to emotion processing and
impulse control.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Which areas specifically well.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Areas like the amygdala crucial for fear and empathy sometimes
show reduced activity, and the prefrontal cortex involved in decision
making that can look different too. It's like the emotional
wiring is just fundamentally different.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, that's fascinating, And that's a big contrast to sociopathy,
isn't it where the environment seems to be the key
player exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Sociopathy is generally understood as dev developing more in response
to well life experiences, particularly negative ones early on.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So we're talking about things like childhood, trauma, abuse, severe neglect,
that kind of thing, precisely.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
A difficult, often traumatic upbringing is frequently seen as a
major contributing factor The idea is that the person wasn't
necessarily born with these tendencies, but their environment profoundly shaped
their development.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So the experiences leave a mark shaping behavior and maybe
even brain development over time. Yeah, you mentioned sociopaths can
sometimes be more impulsive. That seems counterintuitive.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, it can be because their actions might stem more
from that learned reactivity, that chaotic upbringing, rather than cold calculation.
They might be more prone to acting out on immediate urges,
less planned than a psychopath.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Might be right less calculated, which kind of leads us
into the next big area, emotions, stability, and criminal behavior.
This is where the stereotypes really get mixed up.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
They absolutely do.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
For paths.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Criminal actions often seem to stem from that core lack
of empathy. They don't have that internal emotional break that
stops most people from harming others.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
They can be very calculating about it. Master manipulators, very
much so.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Cunning manipulative, often meticulous planners. Think about complex white collar crimes, fraud, embezzlement.
These often require careful planning and a detached approach. Aggression,
if used, is usually a tool, a calculated means to
an end, not necessarily an emotional.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Outburst, and there's that idea that they don't really feel
fear or distress in the same way I remember hearing
about an experiment something with loud noises.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Ah, yes, the startle response studies. Typically a sudden loud
sound makes anyone jump, heart races, you know, but studies
suggest individuals with psychopathic traits often have a much weaker
physiological reaction. They stay remarkably calm. It points to that
potential lack of core fear, that anxiety that usually guides.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Us like they're almost resilient to chaos. Someone called it. Yeah,
situations that would make most people panic don't seem to
phase them.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's a good description, and that calmness, combined with planning,
can make their criminal activities quite effective. Unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Okay. Now contrast that with the sociopath. They might have
some surface charm, but internally it sounds well messier.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Definitely more turbulent. Despite any charm, they're often described as
more nervous, easily agitated. Where a psychopath might be cool
and collected. A sociopath is often quicker to anger, more
prone to sudden fits of rage, so.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Their impulsivity shows up in their emotional reactions too, not
just their planning or lack of it exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That tendency towards aggression, combined with maybe poorer stress coping skills,
can lead to volatile situations, and they might be more
likely to see hostility in others even when it's not there,
leading to revenge driven actions.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And when they do commit crimes, it's often sloppier, less
thought out.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Generally, yes, without that meticulous planning aspect, their actions tend
to be more impulsive, spur the moment, think, less elaborate, heist,
more smash and grab. They often leave more clues behind.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Okay, let's shift to social interactions. This is where the
psychopaths manipulation skills really shine, isn't it. Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Absolutely, they can be masters of it, really skilled at
hiding their true nature, using charm, mimicking emotions to influence people.
It's like they've learned the playbook of human interaction and
use it strategically.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Sounds almost like they practice it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
There's definitely a sense that it's a learned practice skill.
For some they can appear so normal, so trustworthy, which
is how they draw people in. It's probably why some
individuals with these traits can climb the ladder in certain careers,
you know, high power jobs where charm and frankly ruthlessness
can be mistaken for leadership.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
The charming CEO who turns out to be completely ruthless
m m. And they're good at reading people, but not
necessarily feeling.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
With them exactly. They often have a sharp intellectual understanding
of others' emotions and vulnerabilities, which they can then exploit.
They're often skilled at faking emotions, convincingly, putting on a
show of empathy or remorse when it serves their purpose.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And the sociopaths socially, how does it compare? Sounds quite different,
it really is.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Sociopaths tend to be less smooth. They might come across
as awkward, maybe a bit jarring or off. Less likely
to be described as charming, more likely perhaps as weird
or difficult.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
So less adept at playing the social game.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Generally, Yeah, and when confronted about their behavior, they're often
quick to blame others, less likely to take responsibility. They
tend to be more openly focused on their own needs,
sometimes quite crudely, without the finesse a psychopath might use
to disguise their self interest.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And that affects things like holding down a job. I
imagine it.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Often does unreliability, maybe inappropriate behavior, difficulty following rules. It
can make steady employment challenging. They don't usually have that
same ability to blend in or mimic social norms as
effectively as some psychopaths might, and that mind reading ability,
that intuitive manipulation often less developed than sociopaths.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Okay, this next one feels really cool? Or conscience? Is
this a major dividing line.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It's arguably one of the most fundamental distinctions. Yes, we're
talking about that inner sense of right and wrong, and.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
The idea is that psychopaths just don't have one at all.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's the general understanding. It seems to be fundamentally absent.
They don't experience genuine guilt or remorse for hurting others,
for lying, for cheating. They might know intellectually that something
is against the rules or harmful, but they don't feel
it's wrong in an emotional sense. Any show of remorse
is typically faked to avoid consequences.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
It's just about calculating outcomes, not internal feeling. What about sociopaths, then,
now here's the key difference.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Sociopaths are generally thought to have a conscience, but it's weak.
It's underdeveloped or easily ignored. They might know their actions
are wrong, they might even feel a flicker of guilt sometimes,
but it's not strong enough to consistently stop them from
acting on selfish impulses.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
So the moral compass is there, yeah, but it's faulty,
easily overridden.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Precisely, the signal is weak and gets drowned out by
their own desires.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Which obviously has huge implications for relationships. Our last main difference.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Here absolutely for psychopaths, that lack of empathy and focus
on manipulation makes genuine connection pretty much impossible. Relationships are
typically shallow, transactional tools for control or game.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They see people as objects, basically ponds in their game.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That's a common description. They might mimic closeness, even intimacy,
but its performance it lacks real emotional depth. They learn
how to act like a caring partner or friend, but
it's ultimately about controlling or using the other person.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Sounds incredibly damaging for anyone involved with them, and sociopaths
can they form bonds?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
They can, but those relationships seen to be really difficult
marked by instability, conflict, rarely healthy, their emotional volatility, their impulsiveness,
that tendency to prioritize themselves. It makes stable, trusting relationships
very hard to maintain.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So less about calculated manipulation like this psychopath and more
about inherent instability causing chaos and relationships.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
That captures it well. And sociopaths often seem less concerned
with keeping up appearances in the relationships or life. Generally,
they might not put the same effort into mimicking a
normal life as a psychopath might. They often just don't
care as much what others think.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
It's important to circle back, though, because despite all these differences,
there are overlaps right shared issues.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Definitely, the big one is that shared difficulty with empathy
and relating to typical human emotions that's central to both conditions.
It makes their behavior hard to predict from a neurotypical standpoint,
and yes, it can make them potentially dangerous.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
But and this feels really crucial, not everyone with these
traits becomes violent.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Correct, absolutely vital point. Yes the potential might be there,
but it's not inevitable. Many individuals with these traits never
commit violent acts. It's a potential, not a destiny.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And both might learn ways to cope to appear normal
even if their internal world is very different.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yes, developing strategy use to navigate social expectations is common,
trying to blend in even if the underlying experience is
quite distinct.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Okay, so just to quickly run through those differences again
origins psychopathy leaning innate, brain based sociopathy more environmental, learned
emotions and crime. Psychopaths often calm, calculating, planned sociopaths more agitated, impulsive, erratic. Socially,
psychopaths can be manipulative charmers. Sociopaths often more awkward or abrasive.
(10:29):
Conscience largely absent in psychopaths, present but weaken sociopaths and relationships.
Psychophy involves manipulation control Sosiopathy often leads to unstable, unhealthy bonds.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
That's a great summary of the core distinctions we've covered.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
You know, thinking about all this, it really makes you
reconsider how you interpret people's behavior. That person who is
always incredibly calm under pressure versus someone who flies off
the handle easily. Seeing them through this lens adds another layer,
doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
It does?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
What does It tell us about how quick we are
to based on outward appearances without knowing what might be
going on underneath. It's certainly food for thought about the
sheer complexity of human psychology.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Indeed it is. It really highlights how much we still
have to learn about the variations in human experience and
the factors that shape who we are and how we
interact with the world around us. A complex picture, for sure,
Have you ever met someone you know incredibly charming, but
something just felt a bit off, like maybe that charm
was hiding something else entirely. Well, today we're diving right
into that feeling, exploring the real differences between psychopathy and sociopathy.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's definitely a topic where popular culture tends to blur
the lines, doesn't it. People use the terms almost as
if they're the same thing exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
They get thrown around a lot. But as we'll get into,
there are some really key distinctions in where they come from,
how emotions work or don't work, and how it all
plays out right.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And our goal here is really to unpack those differences
to give you a clearer picture based on how experts
understand these conditions.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Yeah, because both fall under the umbrella of antisocial personality disorder,
but they aren't identical. Think of it as digging into
the specifics.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Good way to frame it, same category, different underlying mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Okay, so let's start at the beginning the origins. This
feels like that classic nature versus nurture debate.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It really does, and with psychopathy, the evidence seems to
lean more towards nature. There's a pretty strong consensus that
it involves innate.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Factors innate how like genetic.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Potentially, Yes, there's research suggesting genetic predispositions, maybe familial links,
and importantly actual measurable differences in brain structure and function.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Wow. Okay, so not just how someone behaves, but their
actual brain wiring might be different from the start.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That's what the medical research indicates. Brain imaging studies, for instance,
often show differences in areas linked to emotion processing and
impulse control.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Which areas specifically well.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Areas like the amygdala crucial for fear and empathy sometimes
show reduced activity, and the prefrontal cortex involved in decision
making that can look different too. It's like the emotional
wiring is just fundamentally different.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, that's fascinating, And that's a big contrast to sociopathy,
isn't it where the environment seems to be the key
player exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Sociopathy is generally understood as dev developing more in response
to well life experiences, particularly negative ones early on.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So we're talking about things like childhood, trauma, abuse, severe neglect,
that kind of thing, precisely.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
A difficult, often traumatic upbringing is frequently seen as a
major contributing factor The idea is that the person wasn't
necessarily born with these tendencies, but their environment profoundly shaped
their development.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So the experiences leave a mark shaping behavior and maybe
even brain development over time. Yeah, you mentioned sociopaths can
sometimes be more impulsive. That seems counterintuitive.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, it can be because their actions might stem more
from that learned reactivity, that chaotic upbringing, rather than cold calculation.
They might be more prone to acting out on immediate urges,
less planned than a psychopath.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Might be right less calculated, which kind of leads us
into the next big area, emotions, stability, and criminal behavior.
This is where the stereotypes really get mixed up.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
They absolutely do.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
For paths.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Criminal actions often seem to stem from that core lack
of empathy. They don't have that internal emotional break that
stops most people from harming others.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
They can be very calculating about it. Master manipulators, very
much so.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Cunning manipulative, often meticulous planners. Think about complex white collar crimes, fraud, embezzlement.
These often require careful planning and a detached approach. Aggression,
if used, is usually a tool, a calculated means to
an end, not necessarily an emotional.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Outburst, and there's that idea that they don't really feel
fear or distress in the same way I remember hearing
about an experiment something with loud noises.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Ah, yes, the startle response studies. Typically a sudden loud
sound makes anyone jump, heart races, you know, but studies
suggest individuals with psychopathic traits often have a much weaker
physiological reaction. They stay remarkably calm. It points to that
potential lack of core fear, that anxiety that usually guides.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Us like they're almost resilient to chaos. Someone called it. Yeah,
situations that would make most people panic don't seem to
phase them.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's a good description, and that calmness, combined with planning,
can make their criminal activities quite effective. Unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Okay. Now contrast that with the sociopath. They might have
some surface charm, but internally it sounds well messier.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Definitely more turbulent. Despite any charm, they're often described as
more nervous, easily agitated. Where a psychopath might be cool
and collected. A sociopath is often quicker to anger, more
prone to sudden fits of rage, so.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Their impulsivity shows up in their emotional reactions too, not
just their planning or lack of it exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That tendency towards aggression, combined with maybe poorer stress coping skills,
can lead to volatile situations, and they might be more
likely to see hostility in others even when it's not there,
leading to revenge driven actions.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And when they do commit crimes, it's often sloppier, less
thought out.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Generally, yes, without that meticulous planning aspect, their actions tend
to be more impulsive, spur the moment, think, less elaborate, heist,
more smash and grab. They often leave more clues behind.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Okay, let's shift to social interactions. This is where the
psychopaths manipulation skills really shine, isn't it. Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Absolutely, they can be masters of it, really skilled at
hiding their true nature, using charm, mimicking emotions to influence people.
It's like they've learned the playbook of human interaction and
use it strategically.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Sounds almost like they practice it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
There's definitely a sense that it's a learned practice skill.
For some they can appear so normal, so trustworthy, which
is how they draw people in. It's probably why some
individuals with these traits can climb the ladder in certain careers,
you know, high power jobs where charm and frankly ruthlessness
can be mistaken for leadership.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
The charming CEO who turns out to be completely ruthless
m m. And they're good at reading people, but not
necessarily feeling.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
With them exactly. They often have a sharp intellectual understanding
of others' emotions and vulnerabilities, which they can then exploit.
They're often skilled at faking emotions, convincingly, putting on a
show of empathy or remorse when it serves their purpose.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And the sociopaths socially, how does it compare? Sounds quite different,
it really is.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Sociopaths tend to be less smooth. They might come across
as awkward, maybe a bit jarring or off. Less likely
to be described as charming, more likely perhaps as weird
or difficult.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
So less adept at playing the social game.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Generally, Yeah, and when confronted about their behavior, they're often
quick to blame others, less likely to take responsibility. They
tend to be more openly focused on their own needs,
sometimes quite crudely, without the finesse a psychopath might use
to disguise their self interest.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And that affects things like holding down a job. I
imagine it.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Often does unreliability, maybe inappropriate behavior, difficulty following rules. It
can make steady employment challenging. They don't usually have that
same ability to blend in or mimic social norms as
effectively as some psychopaths might, and that mind reading ability,
that intuitive manipulation often less developed than sociopaths.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Okay, this next one feels really cool? Or conscience? Is
this a major dividing line.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It's arguably one of the most fundamental distinctions. Yes, we're
talking about that inner sense of right and wrong, and.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
The idea is that psychopaths just don't have one at all.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's the general understanding. It seems to be fundamentally absent.
They don't experience genuine guilt or remorse for hurting others,
for lying, for cheating. They might know intellectually that something
is against the rules or harmful, but they don't feel
it's wrong in an emotional sense. Any show of remorse
is typically faked to avoid consequences.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
It's just about calculating outcomes, not internal feeling. What about sociopaths, then,
now here's the key difference.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Sociopaths are generally thought to have a conscience, but it's weak.
It's underdeveloped or easily ignored. They might know their actions
are wrong, they might even feel a flicker of guilt sometimes,
but it's not strong enough to consistently stop them from
acting on selfish impulses.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
So the moral compass is there, yeah, but it's faulty,
easily overridden.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Precisely, the signal is weak and gets drowned out by
their own desires.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Which obviously has huge implications for relationships. Our last main difference.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Here absolutely for psychopaths, that lack of empathy and focus
on manipulation makes genuine connection pretty much impossible. Relationships are
typically shallow, transactional tools for control or game.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They see people as objects, basically ponds in their game.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That's a common description. They might mimic closeness, even intimacy,
but its performance it lacks real emotional depth. They learn
how to act like a caring partner or friend, but
it's ultimately about controlling or using the other person.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Sounds incredibly damaging for anyone involved with them, and sociopaths
can they form bonds?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
They can, but those relationships seen to be really difficult
marked by instability, conflict, rarely healthy, their emotional volatility, their impulsiveness,
that tendency to prioritize themselves. It makes stable, trusting relationships
very hard to maintain.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So less about calculated manipulation like this psychopath and more
about inherent instability causing chaos and relationships.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
That captures it well. And sociopaths often seem less concerned
with keeping up appearances in the relationships or life. Generally,
they might not put the same effort into mimicking a
normal life as a psychopath might. They often just don't
care as much what others think.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
It's important to circle back, though, because despite all these differences,
there are overlaps right shared issues.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Definitely, the big one is that shared difficulty with empathy
and relating to typical human emotions that's central to both conditions.
It makes their behavior hard to predict from a neurotypical standpoint,
and yes, it can make them potentially dangerous.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
But and this feels really crucial, not everyone with these
traits becomes violent.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Correct, absolutely vital point. Yes the potential might be there,
but it's not inevitable. Many individuals with these traits never
commit violent acts. It's a potential, not a destiny.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And both might learn ways to cope to appear normal
even if their internal world is very different.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yes, developing strategy use to navigate social expectations is common,
trying to blend in even if the underlying experience is
quite distinct.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Okay, so just to quickly run through those differences again
origins psychopathy leaning innate, brain based sociopathy more environmental, learned
emotions and crime. Psychopaths often calm, calculating, planned sociopaths more agitated, impulsive, erratic. Socially,
psychopaths can be manipulative charmers. Sociopaths often more awkward or abrasive.
(10:29):
Conscience largely absent in psychopaths, present but weaken sociopaths and relationships.
Psychophy involves manipulation control Sosiopathy often leads to unstable, unhealthy bonds.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
That's a great summary of the core distinctions we've covered.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
You know, thinking about all this, it really makes you
reconsider how you interpret people's behavior. That person who is
always incredibly calm under pressure versus someone who flies off
the handle easily. Seeing them through this lens adds another layer,
doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
It does?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
What does It tell us about how quick we are
to based on outward appearances without knowing what might be
going on underneath. It's certainly food for thought about the
sheer complexity of human psychology.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Indeed it is. It really highlights how much we still
have to learn about the variations in human experience and
the factors that shape who we are and how we
interact with the world around us. A complex picture, for sure,
Popular Podcasts
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!