There is a disturbing trend of an increasing prevalence of sociopathy in our society, as revealed by many media sources. Our current culture has become a breeding ground for sociopaths. We don’t even know that a sociopath might be living next door.
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of respect for the moral or legal norms of the local culture. There is a marked inability to get along with others or abide by social rules. People with this disorder are sometimes called psychopaths or sociopaths. They are mostly used interchangeably.
A simple definition of a sociopath is someone who has no conscience and is grossly antisocial.
Sociopathic behavior is characterized by the inability to care about right or wrong behavior and how it affects other people.
Sociopaths can generally be recognized as possessing most of the characteristics including lack of empathy, difficult relationships, manipulation, deceit, callousness, hostility, irresponsibility, impulsiveness, and risky behavior.
Statistically, sociopaths make up between 3 and 5 percent of the general population. According to the American Psychiatric Association, approximately three in 100 men and one in 100 women are sociopaths. Approximately 70 percent of sociopaths come from fatherless homes and 30 percent are born out of wedlock. Between 15 and 25 percent of inmates show signs of being sociopaths.
Causes of sociopathy:
Neurological causes –
The brain of a sociopath shows distinct neurological abnormalities of the frontal lobe of the brain. It is a section of the brain that is the center of judgment and self-control. Genetic factors may be at the root of a sociopathic personality. Sociologists generally believe that children are more likely to inherit sociopathic traits if one parent has the condition.
Environmental causes –
In fact, sociopaths come from all socioeconomic levels. In addition to the distinctive neurological abnormalities in the brain, there are certain environmental factors that play a role. With the right biological conditions, a person’s environmental conditions can further aggravate the severity of sociopathy.
According to the diagnostic criteria for sociopathy, the person in question must have shown some antisocial tendencies before the age of 15. Therefore, it can be concluded that a person’s early childhood has a great impact on the later development of sociopathy.
Studies have shown that circumstances centered around the home, school, or community can also contribute to sociopathic behavior. It has also been shown that if parents do not express a normal amount of affection, it could lead to dysfunction in the child that manifests in sociopathic tendencies.
• family influences Children born to sociopathic parents are subject to emotional and physical abuse by them in the sense that they also develop traits of sociopathy. The exact nature and impact of the ramifications of the abuse vary from child to child and depend on the severity of the sociopathy and the level of functioning of the parents. It also depends on the nature of the child and her level of resilience, and the presence of other support systems.
Sociopathic parents instill fear, shame, and a sense of worthlessness and guilt in their children. A sociopathic parent is what a child fears most: the monster under his bed and everywhere and he cannot turn to this parent for comfort.
• Social influences – Sociopaths are also influenced by various social factors before the age of 15. Some of them may include deprivation, sexual or physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, and association with people who are antisocial.
• Brain damage – Researchers have linked head injuries involving the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and amygdala to sociopathy and violence.
The conclusion –
In fact, sociopaths are social predators. They are antisocial without conscience and ignore reality to make their life indifferent and selfish.
There are potential genetic and non-genetic contributors to sociopathy. Experts believe that sociopathy results from the interaction of genetic predispositions and an adverse environment. What is adverse may differ depending on the underlying predisposition. However, it is difficult to determine the extent of environmental influence on the development of sociopathy due to evidence of its strong heritability.