Behavioural Traits of Psychopaths: Common Sociopathic Behaviour Traits

While most people’s actions are guided by a number of factors, such as the desire to avoid hurting other people, the psychopath selects a course of action based on only one factor—what can he get out of it. This cold-blooded mode of reasoning enables the psychopath to commit acts that most people’s consciences would not allow.

Manipulative and Deceitful

Psychopaths lie easily and because they don’t feel anxious when doing so, many can pass lie detector tests. They manipulate those around them to get money, free places to stay, sexual favours and sympathy. Those who are jailed for crimes continue the pattern of manipulation and deceitfulness. Psychopaths often claim to have suffered from amnesia, temporary insanity, multiple personality disorder or blackouts to justify their crimes.

In addition to lying outright, psychopaths are inclined to evade, providing responses that do not answer the questions put to them. This is done as a smokescreen, an attempt to trick people into thinking they’ve received an answer. Most psychopaths are very proud of their ability to lie convincingly, and in addition to lying to evade consequences, they lie to get sympathy. When caught in a lie, they simply move on, leaving shattered lives in their wake. Or they promise to change, and in some cases do change for long enough to worm their way back into the lives of their targets, after which they inevitably revert to their old ways.

While psychopaths tend to engage in fewer criminal activities once they pass the age of 40, most continue to manipulate and deceive those around them. A common deception is obtaining phony credentials to pose as doctors, psychiatrists, real estate agents, lawyers or teachers. One psychopath posed as a doctor and performed surgeries, severely botching operations and leaving his patients emotionally and physically damaged. He disappeared when his credentials were questioned, and was found later in England posing as a psychiatrist.

Impulsive and Lacking Self-Restraint

Inability to delay gratification combined with a lack of fear and other constraints on behaviour leads to impulsivity. This, along with a lack of empathy, causes psychopaths to be selfish and irresponsible. They are like infants in adult bodies, demanding that others gratify their immediate needs while not understanding that they should offer anything in return. They take what they want when they want it through manipulation, threats or force.

Because they lack inhibition, psychopaths tend to be short-tempered, becoming emotionally abusive or even violent in response to minor frustrations, criticism and failure. Quick to take offense, they are inclined to blow up at people, but because their emotions are shallow, such outbursts are usually short-lived. Afterward, the psychopath will behave as though nothing has happened, leaving the victims of his tirade feeling hurt and bewildered.

Because they are impulsive and irresponsible, many psychopaths jump from job to job and relationship to relationship. They break their promises, fail to fulfill their financial obligations, leave their families behind without a backward glance and pursue their own interests at everyone else’s expense. The rules of society are considered inconvenient and unreasonable. A chilling example of this cold-hearted irresponsibility was the case of Diane Downs, who murdered her own children, whom she claimed to love, so that she could pursue a relationship with a man who didn’t want kids.

Risk Taking

Psychopaths take extreme physical and psychological risks due to their exaggerated need for excitement. These can range from driving too fast to substance abuse to crime. Of course there are many naturally brave or sensation seeking individuals who are not psychopaths. However, these can be distinguished by their ability to feel guilt, remorse, empathy and shame. A surplus of physical courage is only a marker of a personality disorder when there are many adverse symptoms present.

Bragging

Because psychopaths think very highly of themselves, most are prone to bragging. Many psychopaths talk obsessively in an attempt to convey their toughness and importance to others. Of course there are people who like themselves who are not psychopaths, and many others who brag because they actually have low self-esteem and are attempting to bolster themselves. However, bragging in conjunction with extreme risk taking, irresponsibility, lying, manipulation, impulsiveness and a lack of self-restraint indicate that there is something seriously wrong.

Behaviour Problems in Childhood

Even if he comes from a good, nurturing family, the psychopathic child will usually steal, cut school, have sex, take drugs, start fires, vandalize and be cruel to animals and other children by the time he is just 12 years old. The psychopathic child is indifferent to the feelings of other people and animals. He lies continuously and appears unfazed when caught in a lie. Threats of punishment (and even actual punishment) don’t usually deter him from doing what he wants.

However, it’s not a good idea to assume that a child with behavioural problems is a psychopath. Some children have conduct disorder, which is characterized by many of the same behaviours, but does not include the egocentricity, inability to experience guilt and remorse, and the complete lack of empathy that characterizes the psychopath.

Further Reading

Feb 26, 2009 9:07 AM

Guest :

Where does one get help, if forced to live with such a family member?

Jul 18, 2009 1:57 AM

Guest :

The difference between a psychopath and a sociopath is somewhat blurred, at least according to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM-IV lists both definitions together under the heading of Antisocial Personalities because they share some common traits. Many use the terms sociopathy, psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder (APD) interchangeably. Professionals not only dispute whether there is a difference between a sociopath and a psychopath, but among those that believe there is a difference, there is dispute over what those differences are.
Even those professionals that identify a difference note that the traits of the psychopath and sociopath are largely similar. Both psychopaths and sociopaths have a complete disregard for the feelings and rights of others. This often surfaces by age 15 and may be accompanied by cruelty to animals. These traits are distinct and repetitive, creating a pattern of misbehavior that goes beyond normal adolescent mischief.
Both the psychopath and sociopath fail to feel remorse or guilt. They appear to lack a conscience and are completely self-serving. They routinely disregard rules, social mores and laws, unmindful of putting themselves or others at risk.
Of the more distinguishing traits, some argue the sociopath to be less organized in his or her demeanor, nervous and easily agitated – someone likely living on the fringes of society, without solid or consistent economic support. A sociopath is more likely to spontaneously act out in inappropriate ways without thinking through the consequences.
Conversely, some argue that the psychopath tends to be extremely organized, secretive and manipulative. The outer personality is often charismatic and charming, hiding the real person beneath. Though psychopaths do not feel for others, they can mimic behaviors that make them appear normal. Upon meeting, one would have more of a tendency to trust a psychopath than a sociopath.
Because of the organized personality of the psychopath, he or she might have a tendency to be better educated than the average sociopath, who probably lacks the attentive skills to excel in school. While psychopaths can fly under the radar of society, many maintaining families and steady work, a sociopath more often lacks the skills and drive for mimicking normal behavior, making “seemingly healthy” relationships and a stable home less likely. From a criminal standpoint, a sociopath’s crimes are typically disorganized and spontaneous, while the psychopath’s crimes are well planned out. For this reason, psychopaths are harder to catch than sociopaths, as the sociopath is more apt to leave ample evidence in his or her explosions of violence.
Hence, while similar psychological traits might fall under the antisocial personality heading, from a social and criminalist point of view, the differences between a psychopath and a sociopath may be significant. According to experts, persons with a non-criminal history can also display lesser or varying degrees of either personality type.