The 5 differences between narcissism and psychopathy

He narcissism and the psychopathy They are two pathological personality traits that share 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 trends.

Narcissism: definition and characteristics

Narcissism is a personality tendency or behavior pattern characterized by the fact that people They believe they are entitled to everything and are very arrogant, selfish, have an extreme need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. the rest. 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 usually 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.

• Related article: "Narcissistic Personality Disorder: causes and symptoms"

1. classic narcissist

Classic narcissists are outspoken about their need for constant attention and always brag about themselves.They seek compliments and believe they are entitled to special treatment. They get noticeably bored when the topic of conversation revolves around themselves, and they don't 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 type of narcissistic person who is easier to deal with, as they tend to have stronger self-esteem.

2. vulnerable narcissist

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 bond with special people instead of seeking special treatment themselves.

They may try to pity or manipulate others by being too generous to gain the admiration and attention they need to assuage 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 sets them apart from the other two types of narcissists.

The main goal of malignant narcissists is to dominate and control, and they use deceit and aggression to achieve this, displaying a lack of remorse for their actions. In addition, 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 18 years of age or older, although for its diagnosis it must be present before the age of 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 manipulation, recklessness and lack of attachment and affection. Psychopaths make up about 1 percent of the general population and, in several studies, it has been proven that about 20% of executives of large companies 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 imitate feelings to present themselves as "normal" to society. In addition, the psychopath is organized in his criminal thinking and behavior and is capable of exerting strong emotional and physical control, showing little or no fear, even in situations threatening.

Psychopathy does not understand morality; psychopaths can lie, cheat, steal, hurt others, and even kill without feeling any guilt, even though they can pretend it bothers them. Psychopaths watch others and try to act the way they do to avoid detection.

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 may share certain personality traits, such as lacking empathy, lack of remorse, and of self-responsibility for their actions, their tendency to manipulate others or that both conditions are more frequent in men, there are notable differences between them. others.

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 parenting style, overvaluing or undervaluing the child from an early age, are factors that favor the appearance of this trait.

However, it seems that psychopathy is a trait that creeps in from birth. There are investigations that have been able to detect antisocial patterns even in babies of 5 weeks. Callous traits exhibited by 2- and 3-year-old children may serve as a predictive marker of psychopathic traits in adulthood.

In addition, various studies have identified children between the ages of 6 and 13 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a diagnosis of behavior problems (such as oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder) that end up showing similar traits to adults psychopaths.

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 they do not experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, and their ability to become emotional is practically null.

3. Differences in the tendency to sadism and revenge

Individuals suffering from narcissism are often sadistic and have a tendency to revenge when offended. Harming 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 reacts with indifference or withdraws from the situation. And if they consider that something is unfair, they can demand revenge but it will always be carefully controlled and carefully prepared. A psychopath can also torture someone to test her limits, but the goal is not to harm for harm's sake and his role is more incidental.

4. Differences regarding the fear of rejection and failure

Narcissistic people have a great fear of failure, rejection and not being considered enough. good at any task However, psychopaths tend to be brave and daring, and do not often experience feelings of fear or anxiety in situations that carry some risk of failure.

5. other differences

Narcissists have a peculiar characteristic that often 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, they will soon go public and demand redress, as they feel very comfortable in the role of victim.

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 such 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.