Psychopaths are people who exhibit a constellation of traits which include antisocial, narcissistic, and borderline behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships and extreme egocentricity. They also do not learn from failure and take it out on others.
Psychopaths are often confused with sociopaths, however, they are not synonomous. A sociopath is simply an individual who has antisocial personality disorder. However, psychopathy is an umbrella term. There are different types of psychopaths - antisocial psychopaths, narcissistic psychopaths, and borderline psychopaths. Psychopaths have traits and characteristics that are common to the Cluster B personality disorders (Borderline personality, histrionic personality and narcissistic personality).
Psychopathic traits include:
- Extreme Egocentricity
- Lack any form of both Empathy and Sympathy towards others
- Highly charismatic
- Capable liars, to the point of almost never being called out
- Inability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships
- Complete disregard for the rights of others
- High Intelligence
- Normally impulsive
- Is emotionally unstable and will fly into a violent rage if things start to go wrong
- Ability to manipulate others
On top of being labeled with Antisocial personality disorder aka psychopathy, one might have at least one other Cluster B personality disorder. Either borderline personality disorder, Histrionic personality disorder, or narcissistic personality disorder. A psychopath can have all three disorders, or he/she may have two.
Psychopaths are not always killers or violent criminals, in fact many are capable and respected members of society but have a lack of remorse and do not socialize well with others. Sociopaths (antisocials) also have a lack of remorse but their disdainful attitudes are largely an acquired trait rather than a hereditary trait (especially in fiction).
Neither Psychopathy nor Sociopathy are accepted by modern psychiatrists yet the terms are still widely used in fiction and in the public eye. It is possible to qualify as both a psycho and sociopath, if for example, you are afflicted with antisocial personality disorder (antisocial psychopathy). Villains that qualify for both must exhibit the excessive narcissism and victim seeking pleasure of a sociopath with the cold-heartedness and cunning of a psychopath.
All items (576)
- Abaddon (Supernatural)
- Abaddon the Despoiler
- Adam (Hazbin Hotel)
- Adam MacIntyre
- Ajax (X-Men Film Series)
- Akoya Seishu
- Alastair
- Albert King (Arkham Series)
- Aldrich Killian (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Alex DeLarge
- Alice (Shin Megami Tensei)
- All For One
- AM (I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream)
- Amber Freeman
- Angel Dog
- Angron
- Animus (Lucifer and The Biscuit Hammer)
- Anissa (Image Comics)
- Anjuro Katagiri
- Anton Chigurh
- Apollyon (For Honor)
- Armando Salazar
- Art the Clown
- Arthur Mitchell
- Asdrubael Vect
- Astaroth (Supernatural)
- Astrea (For Honor)
- Ayaka Kamimochi
- Azazel (Supernatural)
- B.B. Hood
- Bad Girl
- Baldur (God of War)
- Bane (Post-Crisis)
- Bane (Post-Flashpoint)
- Barracuda (Marvel)
- Batman (Thomas Wayne)
- Beatrice (Umineko no Naku Koro ni)
- Bellatrix Lestrange
- Bernkastel
- Big Mom (Charlotte Linlin)
- Biker
- Billy (Black Christmas)
- Billy Loomis
- Binolt
- Bishamon
- Black Hat (Villainous)
- Black Mask (Post-Crisis)
- Black Noir (Dynamite Entertainment)
- Black Sperm
- Blair Witch
- BOB (Twin Peaks)
- Bog
- Bojack
- Bolo (Shadow Fight)
- Brandon Breyer
- Brian Moser
- BT-1
- Bullseye (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Butcher (Shadow Fight)
- Byakuya (Under Night)
- Caleb (Blood)
- Caliborn
- Carmilla (Castlevania)
- Carnage (Fox Kids)
- Carnage (Marvel Comics)
- Carnage (Neversoft)
- Castor Troy
- Celes Walt
- Cell Jr.
- Cesare Borgia
- Champ (Akame ga Kill!)
- Chantel Dubois
- Chaos Knight
- Chara
- Charlie Walker
-
- Christopher Shaldred
- Chucky
- Chucky (Reboot)
- Cicada II (CW)
- Cicero
- Cioccolata
- Clear Note and Vino
- Clown (Play With Me)
- Conquest (Image Comics)
- Corsair (Shadow Fight)
- Cortana
- Corvus
- Cosmina
- Cosmos (My Little Pony)
- Crablante
- Crayak
- Crimm
- Cronus (MYth)
- Cronus (Saint Seiya)
- D'Vorah
- Dad (Dad 'n Me)
- Daleks
- Dan Phantom
- Darkseid (Post-Flashpoint)
- Darkseid (Pre-Flashpoint)
- Defalt
- Demiurge (Shin Megami Tensei)
- Dennis Reynolds
- Destroyman
- Dexter Lumis (WWE)
- Dexter Morgan
- Dexter Morgan (Comic Series)
- Dexter Morgan (Video Game)
- Dick Roman
- Diva (Blood+)
- Doctor Doom (FOX)
- Doctor Octopus (Insomniac Games)
- Doctrine Dark
- Don (SRK)
- Donquixote Doflamingo
- Dormammu (Classic)
- DR (Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro)
- Dr. Eggman Nega
- Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Archie Pre-Genesis Wave)
- Dr. Maniac (Goosebumps)
- Drach'nyen
- Drago Bludvist
- Dreadlord Proletius
- Dreadpool
- Gabriella (Blood)
- Gamzee Makara
- Ganondorf
- Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Garm (Vinland Saga)
- Gensei
- Genthru
- George Foyet
- Ghetsis
- Ghostface (1996)
- Ghostface (1998)
- Ghostface (2011)
- Ghostface (2022)
- Ghostface (2023)
-
- Gork and Mork
- Goto Imasuji (Muscular)
- Graham Specter
- Green Goblin (Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy)
- Green Goblin (Spectacular Spider-Man)
- Gregor Clegane
- Gregor Clegane (A Song of Ice and Fire)
- Grinpatch
- Guards (Squid Game)
- Hannibal Lecter
- Harley Quinn (Arkham Series)
- Harley Quinn (DC Extended Universe)
- Harley Quinn (Post-Crisis)
- Harpalos (Assassin's Creed)
- Hayes Vi Arcadia
- Heavy
- Heihachi Mishima
- Hela (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Henry Adams (Arkham Series)
- Hidan
- Higanbana
- Highbreed
- HIM (1998)
- Hiro Shishigami
- Hisoka Morow
- Hisui Hatsushiba
- Homelander (Dynamite Entertainment)
- Homicidal Maniac (Halloween Atari 2600)
- Horus Lupercal
- Hoyt Volker