Question:
What's the difference between a Sociopath and a Narcissist?
?
2013-08-10 06:32:35 UTC
I was watching a documentary about a cheating husband who killed his wife to collect the life insurance money. The daughter went undercover with the cops to to revealed him. This husband's behavior was as a Narcissist, but the man's diagnosis was Sociopath. What is the difference?
Ten answers:
Leanne
2013-08-10 06:59:37 UTC
Narcissism is a feature of many personality disorders, in fact all of the personality disorders have so much overlap that the current thinking is to not actually label a person with a specific condiiton but to say that they have 'a personality disorder' and maybe 'with narcissism'. Narcissistic Personalitiy Disorder used to be a separate condition in its own right, but is now only acknowledged in this manner as an add-on adjective.



However, to explain the difference of classic traits between the two, I will revert to the old labels. Both narcissistic personaltiy disorder and sociopath/psychopath have common characteristics of lack of shame, guilt, remorse, empathy, think they are above the rules, feel entitled not because of any merit but simply because they exist, have shallow relationships marked with infidelity and promiscuity, feel that the end justifies the means and will use any means to get their own way albeit through lies, manipulation, coercian, blackmail or bullying. They consider others as accessories or objects to their own needs and wishes and do not acknowledge that others have feelings, needs or rights. They need to be in control at all times. They have rapid mood swings and enjoy the release of venting rage simply because they can, enjoying controlling the reactions of others.



The split off point is that narcissists have a constant need for attention. They need to be looked at, noticed, focussed upon the whole time. They have to be great, fabulous, amazing; they boast about their exaggerated or non-existant achievements and successes. Their ego is like a reflection in the mirror - without attention upon it, it ceases to exist. They are in a constant state of manipulating others to get that attention and don't care if its negative either - they would rather be feared than loved. They cannot be on their own, and need a partner and a fan base to surround them.



In contrast the driving force with sociopaths/psychopaths is the need for power. They don't have the narcissist's need to be focussed upon the whole time and will often plot their power-plays quietly the backgroudn assuming the indentity of normallity in order to get away with their covert games as long as possible. Narcissists are in your face, in the limelight, the psychopath sneaks around in the shadows. Psychopaths can enjoy inflicting pain, suffering and even killing, while to the narcissist any suffering in others is the by-product of others failing to compy. Psychopaths can enjoy wielding power at the lowest level, the power to take life away. Narcissists believe they're so awesome that others (scum) should serve them. Psychopaths prove their superiority not by being served but by exerting control over others.



If the guy had had narcissistic personalityl disorder he would probably have kept the woman alive because she would be more use to him being his slave and giving him attention.
castilloux
2016-09-28 13:05:51 UTC
Sociopath Vs Narcissist
Amandi
2015-08-06 08:27:25 UTC
This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What's the difference between a Sociopath and a Narcissist?

I was watching a documentary about a cheating husband who killed his wife to collect the life insurance money. The daughter went undercover with the cops to to revealed him. This husband's behavior was as a Narcissist, but the man's diagnosis was Sociopath. What is the difference?
2013-12-01 11:52:06 UTC
I will answer this briefly - I am not a doctor, but I have read extensively about these two Cluster B personality disorders.



The difference - narcissists ego is easily injured, in otherwords, their feelings get hurt (they don't care if they hurt your feelings however) Sociopaths simply do not care - you cannot injure their ego. They simply brush it off as YOU being inferior. Narcs also thrive on all attention. Socios - don't care if you give them attention.



Simple explaination. There so many of these people among us, sociopaths are not necessarily violent- the majority are not, but they are always toxic - the same with Narcs.
pasquale garonfolo
2013-08-10 07:10:50 UTC
The difference between a sociopath and a narcissist.



Conventionally a narcissist is seen as one that does feel all too much own personal love perhaps to a pathological level.



A sociopath may be one in whose mind the social context or effect does produce a pathological state or does evoke a pathological attitude.



But a man who kills his wife may be seen as a murderous felon, as a blunt ferocious human beast that does kill another person, a partner, for material winning.



People may be many things in their life, they may be average good people or even great heroes and or holy saintly persons, or they may be a notorious or covert weird configuration of sociopath narcissist murderous felon all of it in one person.
Arnold
2013-08-11 15:36:28 UTC
Narcissists are sensitive to how others perceive them because they want to feel like they are the best. Sociopaths are often narcissistic, but the difference is that they are innately destructive, and experience a lack of excitement in their lives, which they have to make up for with thrill-seeking.
2014-01-24 16:19:15 UTC
Adding to Leann's excellent answer you could look at it as narcissists being very immature psychopaths with an extra need for attention and a lower need for actually achieving big things without excessive praise.
KHAAAAN!
2013-08-10 07:04:06 UTC
To grossly oversimplify it, narcissists aren't as bad as sociopaths.



Compare the diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Here's a link to the current DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for personality disorders. As far as I know, they haven't changed much from the DSM-IV.



http://www.psi.uba.ar/academica/carrerasdegrado/psicologia/sitios_catedras/practicas_profesionales/610_clinica_cuadrosfront_psicosis/material/dsm.pdf



Next, take a peek at the Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised. This is a diagnostic tool for psychopathy. Sociopaths and psychopaths score over 30. As a diagnosed narcissist, I score 18. The average person will score under 10.



One of the simplest differences between ASPD and NPD is that antisocial behavior is simply for the thrill, gratification, and satisfaction of it. Because you can. It's a pattern of disdain and even hatred for other human beings, displayed by a pattern of behavior beginning in early childhood of rule breaking, illegal activity, fire setting, abuse or torture of animals, and a reckless disregard for the rights, boundaries, feelings, and safety of yourself and others. Narcissism is characterized by a similar self-centeredness, but for different reasons, and with different motivation. It's ego boosting, it's getting one's self esteem vicariously through others, it's NEEDING the approval and praise of other people.



A sociopath does not need other people. People are tools, pawns, a source of amusement, toys. They don't seek approval, praise, or acceptance. They're a whole different level of selfish, egotistical, and self-serving. Sociopaths exploit simply because they can. Narcissists exploit to gain the approval and praise of others to boost their self esteem.



Sociopaths and psychopaths suffer from what is called "flat effect". They have no emotions. What they display are brief flashes of very shallow, often entirely feigned emotions. The only one they seem to feel with any intensity is anger. They don't know guilt, remorse, shame, sadness, grief, anything. They have the emotional capacity of a goldfish. They cannot empathize with others beyond the most basic, intellectual kind. They know something is in pain by the way it squirms, but are physically incapable of relating to other creatures. Most (if not all) seem to lack the human empathy gene and medical tests suggest a dysfunction of the amygdala.



Narcissists typically can feel human emotion, often the full range, and often including guilt, remorse, and shame. While they have stunted empathy, most do nonetheless retain a capacity for empathy and often can genuinely empathize with and feel sympathy for other human beings and animals. It's just that their needs come first. Always. Often at some cost to others.



ASPD, Sociopaths, and Psychopaths as a RULE have a history of run-ins with the law and/or engaging in acts that are grounds for arrest. Narcissists typically don't. Narcissists are just a jumble of maladaptive coping mechanisms and unresolved issues, bumbling along trying to feel good at the expense of others. Sociopaths do not even comprehend the need for external validation.



Both use and, often, abuse people for personal gain, but for entirely different reasons. The biggest difference in the two is the level of deliberate, intentional, premeditated malice in their actions and the underlying origins of their disorder.



[Add] Genuine narcissism comes in varying degrees and several different flavors. Sociopathy/psychopathy can come in different varieties, but the severity is pretty constant.
?
2013-08-10 06:54:02 UTC
The difference is only slight and a professional would have to diagnose according to DSM =



Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
wishnuwelltoo
2013-08-11 12:58:43 UTC
When he killed her he graduated to sociopath. It is the stages. Bully graduates to conduct disorder, then graduates to narcissistic personality disorder then graduates to sociopath or serial killer. If you get a child help when they are just a bully or in conduct disorder they will not graduate to npd.


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