The terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” often get used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same. Regardless of semantics, here’s how to spot the heartless, charming evil of a psychopath or sociopath

• By Savvy Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen on July 8, 2015

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Thanks to Savvy Psychologist listener Cindy Jossart of Webster City, Iowa for the idea for this week’s podcast.

With darkness in their hearts, ice water in their veins, and snake-charming smiles on their faces, psychopaths make up anywhere from 0.6% to 4% of the population. This personality disorder affects men more frequently than women. It’s been documented in cultures the world over. Here’s a great icebreaker for your next cocktail party: the Native Alaskan peoples call psychopaths “kunlangeta.”

The brain of a psychopath is different than yours or mine (unless you’re a psychopath). It has a smaller prefrontal cortex—the part that regulates behavior, impulse control, and planning—and a deformed amygdala, the seat of negative emotions like fear, guilt, and sadness.

You can’t tell superficially who is a psychopath—so let’s get to know them. Here are 3 traits of psychopaths, plus the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath:

Psychopath Trait #1: Fearless Dominance
Let’s look at fearless dominance from an empathetic point of view (ironically, something psychopaths lack). Imagine total freedom from fear, anxiety, or guilt. You do whatever you want without the pesky hindrance of conscience, social consequences, authority figures, or worrying about the well-being of others. You know the rules of society; you just don’t care.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Savvy Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen

Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and the host of the Savvy Psychologist podcast on Quick and Dirty Tips.

And they’re much less likely than the average person to talk about:

• Family
• Religion
• Spirituality

As Jessica Stillman writes, “If your suspected psychopath is verbally obsessed with the pleasures of the body or the balance of his bank account, this study gives you cause to count that as another strike against him — and another reason to steer clear or handle this person with extreme caution.”

2. Psychopaths love to say what they will do

According to Robert Hare, the head of the team that developed the widely used Psychopathy Checklist, psychopaths have a narcissistic and incredibly inflated view of their own importance and self-worth. They have huge egos. They’re self-centered to an incredible degree.

As Hare writes, they have “a truly astounding egocentricity and sense of entitlement, and see themselves as the center of the universe, justified in living according to their own rules.”

Yet while they love to talk about huge goals . they typically have no idea of what it takes to achieve them. And definitely don’t have a plan for how to achieve them.

Which is why successful people don’t tend to talk about their goals; successful people talk about their plans, processes, and routines. They talk about how they’ll get to where they’re going.

Unlike psychopaths, who act like they’re already there.

3. Psychopaths are much less likely to mimic your nonverbal expressions

While it might sound strange, research shows that caring, empathetic people tend to imitate other people’s nonverbal expressions. If you grimace while telling a painful story, so will they. If you smile while telling a happy story, so will they.

Psychopaths won’t. In fact, research shows that psychopaths don’t even yawn when you yawn (a surprisingly common response for most people).

That’s because psychopaths are focused on themselves — not on you.