symptoms of a sociopath
A sociopath is a person who has antisocial personality disorder. [1]
Most of the physical problems a sociopath exhibits are neurologically based. [2]
Psychopaths are often witty and articulate. [3]
But they’re the bottom of the barrel — most of the two million psychopaths in North America aren’t murderers. [4]
The sociopath is now described as someone with antisocial personality disorder. [1]
To help professionals accurately diagnose the sociopath (also called a psychopath), Robert D. Hare, Ph.D., developed the Psychopathy Checklist. [3]
The crimes of psychopaths are usually stone-cold, remorseless killings for no apparent reason. [2]
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture. [4]
For example, many criminals have some of the characteristics described above, but because they are capable of feeling guilt, remorse, empathy and strong emotions, they are not considered psychopaths. [5]
Visible symptoms include physical aggression and the inability to hold down a steady job. [1]
In such cases, they usually fall into one of three types that are typically considered aggravating circumstances in addition to their legal guilt — antisocial personality disorder (APD), sociopath, or psychopath — none of which are the same as insanity or psychosis. [2]
Similarly, role models such as one’s friends or peer group may also influence the behaviour pattern of a sociopath. [1]
Dr. Drew’s theory (and one with wide ramifications since he pretty much defines an antisocial tendency as thinking about one’s self first) is that women with certain kinds of disorders, like borderline personality disorders, tend to be attracted to and hook up with men who manifest symptoms of psychopathic personality disorder (see Lecture on BPD & OCD) and that such match-ups may or may not be dysfunctional. [2]
They’re our friends, lovers and co-workers. [...] More recently it has been termed “antisocial personality disorder” in the DSM-III and DSM-IV. [4]
Sources:
[1] What is a Sociopath?
[2] WikiAnswers - Are there any physical symptoms for a sociopath
[3] Lovefraud.com > Key symptoms of a sociopath (psychopath, con …
[4] Profile of the Sociopath
[5] Symptoms of a Sociopath (James Crawford) [Archive] - Factnet …