# Spotting a Sociopath -- Why It's So Difficult



## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

*Spotting a Sociopath -- Why It's So Difficult *

_bbc.co.uk -_ Academics calculate that sociopaths -- those suffering from "anti-social personality disorder" -- account for about 3-4% of the male population and under 1% of the female population. Dr. Martha Stout explains that since everyone assumes that conscience is universal, hiding the fact that you are conscience-free is nearly effortless.


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## Killjoy (Jun 23, 2003)

This article was complete rubbish. 

I was a psychology major, and this article is the barest study about persons with antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy. People with antisocial personality disorder while having some traits that people would consider "positive" like confidence and coolness under pressure, have many bad traits like failure to conform to social norms, lying, impulsiveness, shallow afflect (inability to relate to others on any but the most shallow levels), reckless disregard to others, irrresponsibility and lack of remorse. It wouldn't take much more than casual interaction with such people to figure out they have something very wrong with them. At the very least people would characterize people with antisocial personality disorder as "odd". Also they have very erratic work habits and find it very difficult to keep permanent jobs, another factor likely to attract attention.

I also question the statistic that "3-4% of males and 1% of females" have antisocial personality disorder. Those statistics seem extraordinarily high.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2008)

Killjoy said:


> This article was complete rubbish.
> 
> I was a psychology major, and this article is the barest study about persons with antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy. People with antisocial personality disorder while having some traits that people would consider "positive" like confidence and coolness under pressure, have many bad traits like failure to conform to social norms, lying, impulsiveness, shallow afflect (inability to relate to others on any but the most shallow levels), reckless disregard to others, irrresponsibility and lack of remorse. It wouldn't take much more than casual interaction with such people to figure out they have something very wrong with them. At the very least people would characterize people with antisocial personality disorder as "odd". Also they have very erratic work habits and find it very difficult to keep permanent jobs, another factor likely to attract attention.
> 
> I also question the statistic that "3-4% of males and 1% of females" have antisocial personality disorder. Those statistics seem extraordinarily high.


If you just look at internet forum users... I would say 3-4% is a bit LOW. hahaha

Myself included.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2008)

Killjoy said:


> It wouldn't take much more than casual interaction with such people to figure out they have something very wrong with them. At the very least people would characterize people with antisocial personality disorder as "odd". Also they have very erratic work habits and find it very difficult to keep permanent jobs, another factor likely to attract attention.


I have to disagree....look at a classic sociopath like Dennis Rader (BTK); he held solid (if unspectacular) jobs, was a deacon at his church, and was by all accounts a good family man.

Excellent book on the subject, mentioned in the article;

http://www.amazon.com/Sociopath-Next-Door-Martha-Stout/dp/076791581X


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## Killjoy (Jun 23, 2003)

Of course one could argue that our society breeds nothing but casual interaction; because people rarely get know anyone at more than shallow level, they could go unnoticed. It is easier than ever with prepaid cellphones, prepaid credit cards and universal internet access to stay off the grid and mobile. No one really has to get to know anyone anymore. 

Psychology is tricky, its not a checklist you go down to see if the symptoms fit the disease; each case must examined for its individual characteristics. For every diagnosed condition, there are always exceptions. I would say the majority of people with antisocial personality disorder lead fairly unusual lives. An absolute lack of empathy is something that could be discovered fairly easily, imagine telling a co-worker about your rotten weekend and them looking at you blankly or moving on another subject without comment, because they simply don't understand other people? 

Still, I think 4% is an awful high number, it would mean that there were 9,000,000 people with antisocial personality disorder in the US alone, more than the populations of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire combined.


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## Deuce (Sep 27, 2003)

Killjoy said:


> imagine telling a co-worker about your rotten weekend and them looking at you blankly or moving on another subject without comment, because they simply don't understand other people?


I look back blankly because I just don't give a fuck... And I prefer "anti-social" mixed w/ homicidal thoughts thank you.... Smart enough to pass the pysch test though.. bwahahaha


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I just assume everyone I deal with is a sociopath until they have shown to me to be otherwise......even thats not foolproof..


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## dcs2244 (Jan 29, 2004)

Killjoy said:


> This article was complete rubbish.
> 
> I was a psychology major, and this article is the barest study about persons with antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy. People with antisocial personality disorder while having some traits that people would consider "positive" like confidence and coolness under pressure, have many bad traits like failure to conform to social norms, lying, impulsiveness, shallow afflect (inability to relate to others on any but the most shallow levels), reckless disregard to others, irrresponsibility and lack of remorse. It wouldn't take much more than casual interaction with such people to figure out they have something very wrong with them. At the very least people would characterize people with antisocial personality disorder as "odd". Also they have very erratic work habits and find it very difficult to keep permanent jobs, another factor likely to attract attention.
> 
> I also question the statistic that "3-4% of males and 1% of females" have antisocial personality disorder. Those statistics seem extraordinarily high.


Gee, you may have just diagnosed a certain former presidential candidate...


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