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Causes of Sociopathic Behavior

The inner workings of the human mind are fascinatingly complex. The desire to understand the essence of "why we are the way we are" is even more perplexing. The diabolical mind of a sociopath is by far the most bewildering. It is an antisocial, egocentric personality disorder with a maze of intricacies. They thrive off manipulation and are lacking in a sense of morality or responsibility.

  1. The Nature of a Sociopath

    • The lack of conscience and an inability to feel remorse are the underlying factors. They do not have the ability to make and keep friends. The sociopathic personality is initially viewed as charming until the casual deception shines through their skillful masterful manipulation. They have the skillful aptitude for lying and cheating. They have no capacity to feel guilt.

    Sociopath Statistics

    • The sociopath makes up approximately 3 to 5 percent of the general population. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about three out of 100 males and one in 100 are sociopaths. Approximately 70 percent of sociopaths who come from fatherless homes and 30 percent are born out of wedlock. As many as 15 to 25 percent of prison inmates who show signs of being sociopaths.

    Understanding the Reasons Behind a Sociopath's Mind

    • Sociopathic behavior has a wide spectrum of causes and explanations. The chief among them would be neurological abnormalities in the frontal lobe of the brain. It is a section of the brain that is the center for judgment and self-control. Genetic factors can be at the root of a sociopathic personality. Sociologist, Dr. Lee Robins, determined that the odds were increased for children to inherit the sociopathic traits if one of the parents had the condition. There also are environmental facts that can play a role. Studies have proven that the circumstances centered in the home, school or community settings also can contribute to the sociopathic behavior. It also has been shown that if a normal amount of affection was not expressed by the parents, it could generate dysfunction for the child that would manifest itself in sociopathic tendencies.

    Brain Function of a Sociopathic Mind

    • In 2007, London's Institute of Psychology studied the brains of six sociopaths and compared them to the brains of nine normal people. There were distinctive discrepancies when they were shown faces of people who were showing signs of fear. The brain activity of the sociopaths was lower while the normal people showed a considerable increase in brain function. In addition, the sociopaths demonstrated much less response to the pictures of happy faces than the normal people.

    Is There a Cure for a Sociopath?

    • The sociopathic personality represents itself as charismatically pleasant in the first interaction only to lead innocent people down the path into their web of deceit. Behind it all, is an inherent sense of frustration. If it is not quelled, the rage rises. As far as help for this personality disorder, advances are being made through medication to counteract the set up of the brain of a sociopath. In addition, therapy and counseling is a good avenue. However, because a sociopath's underlying nature is one of distrust, they are an exceptional challenge for counselors. Hopefully, with more studies to understand the inner workings of the sociopath, a cure will be found in years to come.

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