Many people are confused about the difference among psychopathy, sociopathy and antisocial personality disorder. Although the terms frequently are treated as if they are interchangeable-by the general public and professionals alike-they refer to related but not identical conditions. Evidently there isn't a lot of good information in it out there because two different people have asked me to explain this...
Psychopathy is a personality disorder. Psychopaths are without conscience and incapable of empathy, guilt or loyalty to anyone but themselves.
Sociopathy is not a formal psychiatric condition. It refers to patterns of attitudes and behaviors that are considered criminal and antisocial by society at large, but are seen as normal or necessary by the subculture or social environment in which they developed. Sociopaths may have a well developed conscience and a normal capacity for empathy, guilt and loyalty, but their sense of right and wrong is based on the norms and expectations of their subculture or group. Many criminals are described as sociopaths.
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a broad diagnostic category found in the DSM-IV. Antisocial and criminal behaviors play a major role in its definition and, in this sense, ASPD is similar to sociopathy. Some of those with ASPD are psychopaths (like me), but many are not. The difference between antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy is the latter includes personality traits such as lack of empathy, grandiosity and shallow emotion that are not necessary for a diagnosis of ASPD.
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