The 5 Differences Between Narcissism And Psychopathy
Narcissism and psychopathy are two pathological personality traits that share some characteristics such as selfishness, the tendency to manipulate others or a lack of sensitivity and empathy.
We live and coexist with narcissistic people and with individuals who present obvious psychopathic traits, but it is often difficult to recognize which is which based on their behavior. That is why it is important to know how to distinguish them.
In this article we explain what narcissism and psychopathy consist of and we address the main differences between these two personality tendencies.
Narcissism is a personality tendency or pattern of behavior characterized by the fact that people believe they are entitled to everything and are very arrogant, selfish, have an extreme need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. Narcissistic people tend to spend a lot of time fantasizing about achieving power and success, and may be obsessed with their appearance.
However, Behind that appearance of control is an incredibly fragile ego that is easily hurt by criticism The narcissistic person generally cannot handle any form of criticism and tends to put others down to validate their own superiority.
There are different classifications and types of narcissistic people. Here we will address the three main types.
1. Classic narcissist
Classic narcissists are frank about their need for constant attention and always brag about themselves, they seek compliments and believe they are entitled to special treatment. They are noticeably bored when the topic of conversation revolves around themselves, and they do not like to share the spotlight with others.
However, although they consider themselves superior to most people, they are desperate to feel important and to be admired. They are usually the easiest type of narcissistic person to deal with, as they tend to have stronger self-esteem.
Vulnerable or fragile narcissists feel that they are superior to most people they know ; However, as introverts, they tend to avoid being the center of attention. They often try to attach themselves to special people rather than seeking special treatment themselves.
They may try to pity or manipulate others by being overly generous to gain the admiration and attention they need to appease their deep-rooted insecurity. They have extremely fragile egos and are more likely to lash out passive-aggressively if they feel offended or mistreated.
3. Malignant narcissist
Malignant narcissists are highly manipulative and exploitative These people have much less empathy than the other two main types and may also have sociopathic or psychopathic traits. They have a sense of cruelty that differentiates them from the other two types of narcissists.
The primary goal of malignant narcissists is to dominate and control, and they use deception and aggression to achieve this, showing a lack of remorse for their actions. Furthermore, they can get carried away by the suffering of others.
Psychopathy: what is it and what are its characteristics?
Psychopathy is an antisocial personality disorder and is usually diagnosed at age 18 or older, although for its diagnosis it must be present before age 15. Psychopaths have an awareness of good and evil, although it is not particularly strong. They know that committing an illegality like stealing, for example, is wrong, and they might even feel some guilt or remorse, but that doesn’t stop their behavior.
Traits of psychopathy include: lack of guilt or remorse, narcissism, lack of empathy, superficial charm, dishonesty, tendency to manipulate, recklessness, and lack of attachment and affection. Psychopaths represent approximately 1 percent of the general population, and in several studies, it has been found that about 20% of large business executives also have psychopathic traits.
Psychopaths are callous, but they can be charismatic and persuasive They manipulate and deceive others by using their charisma and intimidation, and can effectively mimic feelings to present themselves as “normal” to society. Furthermore, the psychopath is organized in his criminal thinking and behavior and is capable of exercising strong emotional and physical control, showing little or no fear, even in threatening situations.
Psychopathy does not understand morality; Psychopaths can lie, cheat, steal, hurt others, and even kill without feeling any guilt, although they may pretend it bothers them. Psychopaths observe others and try to act as they do to avoid being discovered.
For example, watching a violent scene in a movie causes most people to react with an elevated heart rate, faster breathing, and even anxiety. However, the reaction of a psychopath is the opposite and they do not show any emotional reactivity.
Differences between narcissism and psychopathy
Although narcissistic people and psychopathic people can share certain personality traits, such as the fact that they lack empathy, the absence of remorse and self-responsibility for their actions, their tendency to manipulate others, or that both conditions are more common in men, there are notable differences between them.
Next We point out the most important differences between narcissism and psychopathy
1. Differences in origin
Narcissism is a personality trait or tendency that is based on the interaction between genetics and environment Variables such as parental style in upbringing, overvaluing or undervaluing the child from a young age, are factors that favor the appearance of this trait.
However, it seems that Psychopathy is a trait that is carried from birth There is research that has been able to detect antisocial patterns even in 5-week-old babies. The callous traits exhibited by 2- and 3-year-old children may serve as a predictive marker for psychopathic traits in adulthood.
Additionally, several studies have identified children ages 6 to 13 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a diagnosis of behavioral problems (such as oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder) who end up showing traits similar to psychopathic adults.
2. Differences in emotionality
Narcissistic people can be euphoric, anxious, depressed, etc, depending on their environment and the stimulation they receive from outside. However, people who suffer from psychopathy show a range of very attenuated emotions, since they do not experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, and their ability to get emotional is practically nil.
3. Differences in the tendency to sadism and revenge
Individuals who suffer from narcissism are often sadistic and have a tendency to take revenge when they feel offended. Hurting other people can make them feel more powerful and in control of the situation.
Psychopaths, on the other hand, tend to be more selective and do not generally have sadistic tendencies When someone tries to offend a psychopath, he or she reacts with indifference or withdrawing from the situation. And if they consider that something is unfair, they can demand revenge but it will always be controlled and carefully prepared. A psychopath may also torture someone to test her limits, but the goal is not to harm for the sake of harm and his function is more incidental.
4. Differences regarding fear of rejection and failure
Narcissistic people have a great fear of failure, rejection and not being considered enough good at some task. However, psychopaths tend to be brave and bold, and do not usually have feelings of fear or anxiety in situations that involve a certain risk of failure.
5. Other differences
Narcissists have a peculiar characteristic that usually causes displeasure in the people around them, and it is their tendency to dramatize and communicate their feelings in an exaggerated way. If something has bothered or upset them, it will not take long for them to make it public and demand reparation, since they feel very comfortable in the role of victims.
Psychopaths, on the other hand, don’t like drama too much Rather, it bores them and they have no problem showing their indifference and coldness in those types of situations, since they don’t care what others think of them. However, the ease with which a psychopath manipulates and exploits others using tricks and a false appearance is a problem when it comes to knowing his true intentions.
