For years, psychologists have attempted to identify the different facets of sociopathy. Sociopathy is now called antisocial personality disorder, a much larger improvement from the name ‘moral insanity’ that was coined in the 1800s. A sociopath is someone who exhibits qualities such as being manipulative and conning, lacking remorse, shame or guilt, poor behavioral controls (impulsive nature) and many more. With qualities like these, one would think they’d be able to identify whether anyone was a sociopath or not, but it’s actually much harder than you’d think. Often, sociopaths play a part in order to hide their intentions and manipulate others, and once a friendship is established, it acts as a blinder for the actions of the sociopath. In reality, sociopaths are very common, with about 200,000 being diagnosed every year. They’re our politicians, our teachers and our neighbors. Here are some helpful ways to tell if someone you know is a sociopath:
1. Extreme impulsivity, showing lack of responsibility
Sociopaths tend to act in an in-the-moment fashion. Both psychopaths and sociopaths are likely to break the law, but a sociopath will do it in a spur-of-the-moment way. This leads to them being sloppy and getting caught, which is why many more sociopaths are in prison than psychopaths. Sociopaths tend to believe that societal rules and norms simply don’t apply to them.
2. Charming
Sociopaths are incredibly charming. They use their charm to get what they want. They’re the perfect conmen because they know just how to charm others into doing what they want them to do. This charm is only superficial, though.
3. Lacking empathy, showing no remorse or guilt
Sociopaths don’t know how to empathize with their victims. They don’t see things from others perspectives or care about others emotions, which makes them incapable of feeling guilty for their wrongdoings. For a sociopath, life is about getting what you want and doing whatever it takes to get it, so empathizing is not for them.
4. Grandiose sense of self
Sociopaths are extreme narcissists. They have a hugely inflated sense of self and tend to blame others for their shortcomings. They feel as though they’re entitled to whatever they want in life.
5. "Predator eyes"
Sociopaths are thought to have ‘intense eyes’ because they have no trouble maintaining eye contact for long periods of time. This can easily be misconstrued as aggressive or seductive. It makes the sociopath seem confident, and draws others in, making them like the sociopath.
Those are just a few of the ways to tell if someone you know is a sociopath. Our understanding of sociopathy is constantly evolving. Sociopaths can be very dangerous to be close to, and while you shouldn’t go around diagnosing anyone as a sociopath yourself, these are just a few helpful things to keep an eye out for to make sure you don’t get hurt by someone you know who is a sociopath.
