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Sociopath Vs. Psychopath Vs. Narcissist: What Is the Difference?

Author: Hailey Shafir, LCMHCS, LPCS, LCAS, CCS
Rajy Abulhosn, MD

Medical Reviewer: Rajy Abulhosn, MD Licensed medical reviewer
Published: May 23,2023

What Is a Sociopath?
What Is a Psychopath?
What Is a Narcissist?
Differences Between Disorders
Potential Causes
Treatment Options
Tips for Coping
Conclusion
Additional Resources

Sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists have similar traits and tendencies with important distinctions. Psychopaths tend to be the 
most violent and dangerous because they lack empathy, conscience, and respect for authority. Sociopaths are similar but often use 
manipulation and deceit over violence. Narcissists can also be selfish and cruel but are less likely to engage in illegal or 
violent behaviors.1,2, 3,4, 5
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What Is a Sociopath?

Sociopaths refer to those diagnosed with a severe form of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Frequent signs of a sociopath 
include a lack of empathy, morals, and care or concern for the feelings and needs of other people. These traits make them more 
likely to harm or take advantage of other people, especially when there is a potential benefit involved for them. Their weak 
conscience makes it easier for them to justify antisocial behaviors and dodge some of the normal feelings of guilt and remorse most 
people would experience afterward.2,6 ASPD occurs on a spectrum, with sociopathy and psychopathy being the most severe forms of the 
disorder.

Some of the most common signs of a sociopath include:1,2, 7

Superficially charming but has few stable, long-term relationships
Having a weak conscience or moral compass
Easily provoked by others, becomes defensive often
Emotionally unstable, moody, and prone to outbursts
Prone to using others for personal benefit or gain
Manipulative, deceptive, and dishonest
Impulsive, reckless, or self-destructive behaviors
Irresponsibility or failure to meet expectations
Hot and cold in interactions with other people

What Is a Psychopath?

Psychopaths have the rarest and most severe form of antisocial personality disorder, making them potentially very dangerous.2,7 
Unlike sociopaths, psychopaths are often completely lacking in empathy and moral conscience, and some are even sadistic and enjoy 
causing pain and suffering. Many psychopaths don't experience a normal range of human emotions, which makes it even more difficult 
for them to relate and connect with others. Personality traits and signs of a psychopath include a tendency to be cold, callous, 
and predatory and a high statistical probability of engaging in criminal and violent acts.2,6

Some of the most common signs of a psychopath include:1,2, 6,7

Disregard for the feelings, rights, and needs of other people
Fearless, bold, and unconcerned with the consequences of their actions
Ruthless in their pursuit of money, sex, power, or other goals
An artificial charm that can be turned on or off to get what they want
Impulsive, irresponsible, like to seek thrills, and gets bored easily
History of violent, illegal, or predatory behaviors dating back to childhood/adolescence
Sadistic pleasure in causing harm, suffering, or pain to other people

Both psychopaths and sociopaths have severe forms of antisocial personality disorder, which has the following symptoms:1,2

A blatant disregard for rules, laws, and norms-resulting in criminal behavior
Lying, deceitfulness, and manipulative tactics used for profit or personal gain
Impulsive or reckless patterns of behavior without concern for consequences
Irritability and aggression, causing frequent arguments, conflicts, or fights
A complete disregard for the safety of oneself and others
A pattern of irresponsible behavior and poor decision making
Lack of remorse for actions that are wrong, immoral, or harmful to others

What Is a Narcissist?

Narcissists have narcissistic personality disorder (or NPD), which makes them highly sensitive to praise, criticism, and external 
feedback. Signs of narcissism include overly relying on external forms of validation like praise, recognition, status, or career 
achievements to feel good about themselves. While they can appear overly confident, many experts believe narcissism arises from a 
deep sense of shame and insecurity. Still, these insecurities are masked by many aggressive defense mechanisms that make the 
narcissist a difficult and potentially dangerous personality.3,5

While there are different types of narcissism, some of the overarching signs include:1,3, 5

Inflated ego or excessive degree of self-absorption
An excessive need for external validation, praise, recognition, or admiration
Hypersensitivity and defensiveness when criticized or challenged
A heightened need to be right, successful, wealthy, powerful, etc.
Behaving in selfish or entitled ways to get what they want
A pattern of using people, turning on them, or 'discarding' them
A tendency to avoid taking responsibility and blame others when wrong

The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder include:1

A sense of grandiosity or excessive self-importance
Recurrent fantasies of being powerful, successful, beautiful, or important
Feeling as though they are special and exceptional and can only associate with those who are on the same level as them
Excessive need for validation, praise, and admiration from others
A sense of entitlement or feeling like one deserves special treatment
Exploiting others for personal gain or selfish reasons
Lacking empathy or being unwilling to identify with the needs of others
Being envious of others or believing others are envious of them
Arrogant or haughty behavior, acting better than others

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What Are the Differences Between a Narcissist, Sociopath, and Psychopath?

Narcissistic personality traits are more common than the antisocial traits displayed by sociopaths and psychopaths and are often 
less dangerous, too. Part of the reason narcissistic people are less dangerous is that they're usually driven by prosocial desires 
like wanting to be liked, accepted, and respected by others. Psychopaths and sociopaths, on the other hand, don't have as many 
prosocial desires and instead use antisocial behaviors like violence, deceit, and exploitation to get what they want at the expense 
of other people.1,2, 3,6

Below are some key differences between narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths.1,2, 5,6, 7
Narcissistic traits and tendenciesSociopathic traits and tendenciesPsychopathic traits and tendencies
Arrogant and self-absorbedErratic and emotionally unstableCold, callous and cruel
Highly defensive to criticismHighly emotionally reactiveEmotionally detached
Tries to impress othersTries to manipulate othersTries to control others
Often feels pride and shameEmotional highs and lowsOften feels indifferent
Repressed empathyWeak empathyLittle or no empathy
Projects blame to avoid shameWeakened conscienceLittle or no conscience
Selfish and entitled actionsImpulsive and chaotic actionsCold and calculating actions
Prone to self-promotionProne to manipulation and deceitProne to violence and crime
Competitive towards othersExploitative towards othersPredatory towards others
Transactional relationshipsParasitic relationshipsAvoids close relationships
Feels insecure, acts confidentFeels confident, acts insecureFeels confident, acts fearless
Low-stress toleranceLow-stress toleranceHigh-stress tolerance
Emotionally dependent lifestyleParasitic lifestyleSolitary lifestyle
Narcissist Vs. Sociopath and Psychopath

Narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder are both 'cluster B' personality disorders. Cluster B 
personality disorders are all characterized by dramatic, impulsive, and attention-seeking behaviors.1 The main difference between 
narcissism and antisocial personalities is that narcissists are motivated by a desire for social recognition and acceptance, and 
psychopaths and sociopaths are not. This means that narcissists are more likely to care about the feelings and opinions of other 
people, which acts as a safeguard against more violent, criminal, or deviant behaviors.3

While narcissists still sometimes engage in these behaviors, they make more of an effort to appear normal and make positive 
impressions on other people. The most difficult and cruel tendencies of a narcissist are often only apparent to those who are 
closest to them or to those who have offended or upset them. When a narcissistic injury (i.e. ego wound) occurs, narcissists use 
immature defense mechanisms like projection, blame, and passive aggression. Sometimes, they even cut ties with people they're mad 
at or end relationships with people no longer 'useful' to them (aka narcissistic discard).3,8, 9
Sociopath Vs. Psychopath

While both psychopaths and sociopaths have traits and symptoms of ASPD, psychopaths have the most rare and severe form of the 
disorder. It's estimated that only 1-3% of people with ASPD are psychopaths, and about 30% are sociopaths.2 Psychopaths are more 
likely to have stunted emotions, a lack of empathy, and no conscience than sociopaths, which also makes them more prone to violent 
and illegal acts. Psychopaths are often cool, calculating, and ruthless, but they can sometimes still win people over with their 
superficial charm or suave demeanor.2,3, 6

Sociopaths, on the other hand, tend to be more moody and impulsive. They're more easily riled than psychopaths and often lash out 
when upset. What makes them slightly less dangerous than psychopaths is the fact that many sociopaths still possess weak empathy 
and conscience, which makes them slightly less antisocial. Sociopaths also tend to rely on less violent means to get what they want 
and are more likely to lie, extort, or manipulate people than to physically attack them. Because they experience a wider range of 
emotions, sociopaths are also more likely than psychopaths to feel afraid of potential consequences.2,3, 6
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What Causes Psychopathy, Sociopathy, and Narcissism?

A combination of genetics and social and environmental factors is believed to cause most mental illnesses, including personality 
disorders. Most of the time, it's believed that people who become sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists have a genetic or 
biological predisposition that's activated by their environment and choices. In many cases, the "activating" environmental factors 
involve childhood trauma, including abuse and neglect.2,4, 7

In most cases, people who develop narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder first develop traits and symptoms in childhood or 
adolescence. People with more severe forms of antisocial personality disorder tend to display problem behaviors like fighting, 
stealing, and cruelty towards animals at a younger age. Both antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders are more common 
among males than females, but female sociopaths are much more common than female psychopaths.2

Some of the potential causes of antisocial and narcissistic personality disorder include:2,6, 7,10

Experiencing abuse or neglect in childhood
Extremely permissive, strict, or inconsistent parenting styles
Having a parent who has NPD or APSD
Insecure attachment styles linked to childhood trauma
Certain personality traits like extraversion, neuroticism, or impulsivity
Early exposure to predatory, abusive, or illegal behaviors
Early engagement in violent or aggressive behaviors
Early involvement in criminal activities
Being bullied or rejected by peers
Chemical imbalances in the brain
Abnormalities in parts of the brain governing emotions and fear
Impaired executive functioning and abnormal frontal lobe development

Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Sociopathy Treatment

Treatment for psychopaths, sociopaths, and narcissists is complicated and has a lower success rate than treatments for other mental 
illnesses. Unfortunately, many people with these personality-disordered traits don't seek treatment voluntarily. While there's 
always hope for people who have a sincere desire and willingness to engage in treatment, psychologists have not been able to find a 
specific kind of treatment for NPD or ASPD.2,7, 10,11

Most of the time, ASPD and NPD co-occur with other mental health or substance use disorders.7 People who are seeking treatment 
often benefit from a combination of therapy and psychiatric medication, which can help to target some of the symptoms of their 
personality disorder as well as other comorbid conditions. Involving family members or partners is recommended when treating people 
with antisocial and narcissistic personalities.7,10,11
Therapy

There are a number of different types of therapy that may benefit people diagnosed with narcissistic or antisocial personality 
disorder, but none are evidence-based. Some of these therapeutic approaches target unhelpful ways of thinking, others focus on 
improving interpersonal relationships, and others try to teach behavioral skills like impulse control.

Below are some therapy approaches that may be recommended:7,10,11

Cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT): CBT is a structured therapeutic approach that aims to help people adjust or change unhelpful 
thinking and behavioral patterns.
Supportive therapies: Unstructured approaches like person-centered therapy focus on developing a strong rapport and trusting 
relationship between the therapist and client to facilitate the therapeutic process.
Family or couples therapy: Family therapy involves two or more people attending therapy sessions to improve communication, reduce 
conflict, and provide support for couples and families affected by narcissism or antisocial personality disorder.
Group therapy: Group therapy sessions provide information about a mental health condition and teach coping and impulse control 
skills to people dealing with a similar issue or diagnosis.
Schema therapy: Schema therapy focuses on helping people identify and change unhelpful core beliefs about themselves, others, and 
the world that may be contributing to their symptoms and problem behaviors.
FRAMES: An experimental therapeutic approach for personality disorders that focuses on providing feedback, taking responsibility 
for your actions, identifying effective coping skills and responses, improving empathy, and building self-efficacy.
Trauma-focused therapy: Trauma-informed approaches like ART, somatic therapy, EFT tapping, CPT or EMDR may help people resolve old 
traumatic experiences contributing to their current symptoms and problem behaviors.

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Medications

There are no FDA-approved medications for personality disorders like narcissism and sociopathy, or psychopathy. Sometimes, 
psychiatric medications are used to treat other underlying or co-occurring conditions and other times, they are sometimes 
prescribed "off-label" for personality disorders.

It's important to note that there's a significantly increased risk of addiction for people with both antisocial and narcissistic 
personality disorders, which makes it important to monitor for signs of medication misuse or abuse.7 Because of this, some 
prescribers will be hesitant to give controlled medication prescriptions to people with these two disorders.10

Here are some of the most commonly prescribed medications for people who are diagnosed with narcissistic or antisocial personality 
disorder:7,10,11

Carbamazepine and Lithium to help control impulses and urges
SSRI antidepressants that target serotonin and other mood-related brain chemicals
SNRI antidepressants that target serotonin, norepinephrine, and other mood-related brain chemicals
Anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines, beta-blockers or Buspirone which help to reduce the fear and stress responses in the 
body and brain

7 Tips for Dealing With a Psychopath, Sociopath, or Narcissist

Dealing with someone who has narcissistic, psychopathic, or sociopathic traits is never easy. Because people with these disordered 
personalities can be predatory and even dangerous, many experts advise that people distance themselves from narcissists, 
sociopaths, and psychopaths. When this is not an option, the precautions and tips below may be helpful to people who have to 
interact with a narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath.8,9, 12

Seven tips for dealing with a psychopath, sociopath, or narcissist are:

Limit your interactions and keep your guard up around the person: Less frequent contact with someone who displays traits of a 
narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath is safer. Try to keep any conversations short, sweet, and to the point, and pause to think 
before responding to them, reminding yourself that they may have ulterior motives.
Be cordial and polite but standoffish: Being polite but somewhat distant or detached is one of the safest strategies around someone 
with a narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder. This keeps a boundary around your relationship that deters them from 
intruding on parts of your life that you want to keep them away from.
 Approach conversations as exchanges of information with them: Think of conversations with them as exchanges of information. 
Approach them only when you need certain information from them, and be courteous when they make appropriate requests for 
information you have. Focusing on exchanging information will help remind you to keep your interactions as direct and impersonal as 
possible at a safe distance.
Limit personal or potentially damaging personal information: Try to limit their access to personal, sensitive, and potentially 
consequential information. Narcissistic and antisocial people have a tendency to weaponize this kind of info, using it as intel 
against enemy targets (who are always growing in numbers).
Diffuse any competitive vibes early on: Competitive vibes from someone with an antisocial or narcissistic personality aren't the 
kind of attention you want from them and can graduate into full-blown revenge if they "lose." When possible, avoid direct 
competition with a narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath. Even when you notice them getting jealous or insecure because of you, try 
evening the keel or even letting them have their way if you sense a lot of animosities.
Interact more publicly than privately with them: Public interactions have at least one casual witness or bystander and can be a 
great protection strategy for a narcissist or sociopath at work. This can sometimes keep them in check by threatening their 
reputation or image for saying or doing toxic things.
Keep a written log of issues or interactions if needed: Because (narcissistic or psychopathic) gaslighting is so common, it can 
sometimes help to keep a written log of interactions or facts if you have frequent interactions with one of these personalities. 
Keeping a written log can also help you build an informal case against them, even if you only use it in the event that they come 
after you.

Final Thoughts

People with narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder share some traits, qualities, and tendencies, as well as some 
differences. Sociopaths and psychopaths have antisocial traits and tendencies in common, but psychopathy is less common and more 
severe, with a high correlation to crime and violence. The narcissistic need for attention and external validation is very 
prosocial and primarily distinguishes them from antisocial personalities. When narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths seek help 
in a sincere way, I believe recovery is possible.
Sociopath Vs. Psychopath Vs. Narcissist Infographics

What Are the Differences Between a Narcissist, Sociopath, and Psychopath Potential Causes of Antisocial and Narcissistic 
Personality Disorder Tips for Dealing with a Psychopath, Sociopath, or Narcissist
Additional Resources

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