Can you trick a sociopath into exposing themselves?
- Trick them, maybe, but you can definitely "catch" them in lies. If you pay careful attention you'll notice events and stories and so called "facts" not making sense. Regarding "tricking" them, since sociopaths are notorious for their promiscuity, you could have another member of the opposite sex come on to them and see what happens. They'll most likely take the bait. Some sociopaths aren't promiscuous. In fact some are or pretend to be stern puritans.
- I'd avoid trickery. Look out instead for lack of conscience, inability to learn from life (experience), extreme callousness. Sociopaths treat others as their playthings and are often intensely sadistic. Sociopaths are steeped in dishonesty. If unmasked, they may rant, rave, rage and turn extremely violent. If you defend yourself they will have no hesitation in telling the police that you attacked them and that they simply defended themselves. They have no qualms about perjuring themselves, either. What's more, many aren't particularly afraid of punishment. Be careful before about using trickery on a sociopath. Sociopathy is probably on a continuum, a degree to which someone, under certain conditions manifests concern or lack of concern, empathy, or conscience in a given situation. To trick a sociopath into revealing their lack of conscience, ask them about their favorite animals and pets. Ask them why? I know one sociopath who really likes her Preying Mantis and doesn't like dogs. An enjoyment of dogs generally requires some degree of caring, empathy--characteristics devoid in sociopaths. If you are close to the sociopath, perhaps you are acting as "supply" for them, as in the comorbidity of narcissism and narcissistic supply. Cut off the sociopath's perceived supply, and the sociopath will fluster and will probably need to find another source. Another trick is to watch them respond to an enfant or toddler. As the subjective observer, do you feel they are emotionally present for the child or vice versa?
- Some sociopaths drop numerous hints about the way they are; rarely, some come right out and admit to it (including several WikiAnswers members)! In the very rare event that a sociopath doesn't have to hide what he/she is, the dynamic can change. To put it bluntly, they usually seek to camouflage themselves because they at least know that, as they truly are, they are unlovable. That doesn't, however, stop some particularly nurturing sorts of people from offering a known psychopath succor and friendship! One never knows. The near-constant state of frustration and dissatisfaction felt by a true psychopath is the source of not only their rages but those eerie, on-and-off-like-a-faucet tears.
- Don't assume that anyone is a psychopath based only on the person's apparent attitude and behavior. It is far more complex than that, including factors in the pattern of the person's life and many other characteristics. Please don't go around assuming or calling someone a psychopath just because he/she may have some of the warning signs.
- For information on what the warning signs are, look up other questions with answers on sociopaths, psychopaths, and antisocial personality disorder herein. Get a professional opinion from a qualified mental health professional if you think you are involved with a psychopath. And then ask what to do, not only for the psychopath but for yourself, because being involved with a psychopath is risky. The main reason sociopaths don't usually seek help from their fellow human beings, is that they can't trust, rather than that they like being as they are. Plus, they can often sense exactly what sort of a response any call for help on their part is most likely to elicit from professionals and lay folk alike. It's a truly miserable existence. And it can be made better. It may not be "curable" yet, but it most certainly isn't as hopeless as so many people say. There is therefore nothing to be gained and much to be lost when therapists and lay folk try to ostracize sociopaths from the human race entirely! Sensationalism and superstition will only prevent progress.
- Sociopaths, though born that way, are people too. To avoid an entire group of people is absurd. That's like saying, "Since these people have dark skin, everyone should completely avert themselves from them." I am a moderate sociopath, and though part of me doesn't want to change, another does. Many times it is really entertaining to see how stupid people can be, especially when they're so gullible as to believe every word that mellifluously flows from my lips. Yes, I am parasitic, but even so, there are some people I would like to stop hurting. I can't find any websites that can provide a way to help my sociopathy. Maybe people like you should stop your self-victimization and start trying to actually help people like me! I knew I was a sociopath before the age of ten but have only recently had it officially diagnosed. I am eighteen years old now, and I have been lying and destroying others' sanity for a long time. So, please post some helpful tidbits that might help sociopaths resist the sweet urges we get when we encounter weak human beings. When you cut us, do we not bleed? When you kill us, do we not die? Do you honestly think that you're being lied to and manipulated when we sincerely ask for help. Listen to yourselves! This is the internet; ergo, you're safe from our fortified mental grasp.
- Dealing with a sociopath is nothing but a mind game. They find out your likes and dislikes and act accordingly to give you that "soul mate" impression. I dated a guy for a year an a half, we met on a social network site. He said all the right words, painted the perfect pictures of love and emotion, and even considered going to church. He did actually, but that's when I started seeing the signs. After church service, he'd be ready to leave at the very last word. He had no problem with leaving church and going home to drink alcohol heavily. He took pleasure in watching me give in to my weaknesses which was smoking and it showed. He acted as if he cared and even used encouraging words, but then turn around and bring boxes of cigarettes around. He was a porn addict and denied it constantly until he got caught watching it. Numerous videos were in this nasty profile that he secretly had. All his money went to porn videos, and he purchased a new laptop behind my back just so he can have a webcam to have cyber sex with it. Any how, of course my feelings were involved so I decided to go ahead and let them show, because they were REAL. He was the type to show a sense of relief when I was either down, or seemingly slacking off on handling my business, so......that's what I pretended to be when he came around. I'd invite him over when there was no food in house, just so I could watch him "act" like he wanted to be there. When it came down to his sociopathic sexual fantasies, I played along with them to see if he'd care about my walk with Christ, and of course, he didn't. Then I told him that I didn't want to have sex with him any more and this made him feel like he had a physical problem and started working out more lol, and I started to talk about The Lord more which basically made all his evil intentions show in his face, literally. When he wasn't around, I'd handle my business secretly, buy food for the house, cook our favorite meals then call him and tell him, do fun things by myself that we would normally do together. I'd make sure he saw me wear a sexy pair of matching bra and underwear before his departure back to his house, so that he can wonder, lol......I must say that as I flipped the script it did become sort of fun because I was no longer the person worrying with confusion, but he was. But I didn't do this with the same evil intentions that he had, but rather to get away from him. In the end I basically used my tears, the same way he used his, to make him feel like breaking up would be the best thing to do, but of course that crazy jealous monster that I created in him came out and he threatened me with violent acts which resulted in me calling the police. So, I got what I wanted, he can't come near me if he tried, I have an order of restraint on him. Bottom line: Sociopaths are liars, they have no feelings, they do really want to rule the world, and they really CAN'T fight off temptation. They are weak human beings who can't do a thing for themselves (or more so, choose not too because they are lazy), so they find other individuals weaker than they are to make prey out of them. They talk a lot but can't back it up with their actions. They are like high school kids who gather in circles and "wish talk" but never do a thing to make those wishes a reality. Sociopaths get bored easily, don't really care about the well being of others or children, steal things, or worse, watch a person drop his/her wallet and does not give it back but rather steals it. These people appear to be charming, but are NOT; and are said to be dangerous but are really corny and weak and the worse thing you can do to make them feel cheap is expose their corny-ness and they will feel less than a person.
- Sociopaths come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from passive to aggressive and sometimes somewhere in-between. The lack of empathy, guilt and conscience isn't weakness, but rather in all aspects a curse. With a low or average intelligence this results in a dangerous individual, do not confuse being clever with intelligence. Depending on many factors those with high intelligence can be worse, or sometimes rarely better. An expert liar, perfectly displaying faked emotions, a true chameleon... An extremely intelligent sociopath is all these things, catching them in a lie is nigh impossible because they'd only twist the truth enough to make the lie believable. The capacity to choose is ever present, be what you are, or who you want to be. We have emotions, we think, we know what's right and what's wrong, but there is a difference between knowing something, and feeling it. 'Good' emotions as normal people call them are felt, but the feelings are numb, felt through a dense fog, barely visible. Our strength is our curse, while yes it's fun to toy with you simpletons, going too far is an easy way to expose oneself and from there life is ruined. We can't help what we are, but a few choose to give in a little less then most. A constant a pointless battle it may be... The world, ignorant fools the lot of them, doesn't like what we are, for good reason, you fear what you don't understand, and many abuse the gift/curse we have. A sociopath with a brain, hides in plain sight, chooses who they want to be, and fights what they are. Not for all of you, but to stay alive and hidden. Don't ever think its for you. "Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions. But no man has a right to be wrong in his facts."
- Sociopathy is not a "game" people play, it is
characterized as a disorder called Antisocial Personality Disorder.
If people have empathy for others who have this disorder, why do
they feel a need to "trick" them at all? Perhaps attempting to mess
with a person who has a personality disorder speaks volumes about
you in contrast to them and their "lack of empathy" think about it.
Perhaps the sociopathic person poses a burden on you, in this case
it would be better for you to separate yourself from them and think
twice about your reactions as they are probably what triggers the
sociopath to behave in certain ways that you dislike.
It seems this is written with an intention to undermine someone with a condition that is hardly. Their fault, as if a lack of empathy would be something someone could even consciously choose? Choosing this would only denote a lack of empathy to begin with. If the intention is to trick someone into feeling something then perhaps re-think the aim here ask yourself weather or not it is morally ethical and what it reflects about you and your intentions, are they just a bit hypocritical? Have a bit of respect for your fellow human being as they are; not as what you would prefer them to be. It's not a trick, but you might just ask whether the sociopath is "messing with your head." Ask, don't accuse. The arrogance of some sociopaths allows them to accept the challenge that they can continue to play mind-games with you even if you are well AWARE of their proclivity to take advantage of others. Reveling in their victories, handing you a weapon with which to defend yourself can be tempting for these people. A suggestion for those who need to "expose" a sociopath may be to offer some humility to remove some of the sweetness of the victory. "Look, half of what you say I don't understand. If this is a mistake, I could use some help avoiding it. What should I do?" Admitting you're an easy target removes the challenge. They've won already. What's the point? The other side of it is you've asked for their help. Sociopaths may lie by omission, use info you don't have, or deceive in innumerable ways, but if you ASK them, straight out, to guide you? Again: too easy. You are no longer a "challenge" or opponent. You become someone seeking his or her protection. This feeds their ego in a way different from hurting you. No longer perceiving you as a threat or even a target worthy of their intellect, you are in a position to be defended. This can mean they are ready to hurt others who threaten you. This approximates affection and caring for them. You may not like what they do on your behalf and they are all too ready to turn on you if you become an obstacle to other plans they have. Just so you know, if you tame the beast, you're not "out of the woods." It's in their nature to take down threats and they're on guard for what they perceive as "changing circumstances". Imagined betrayal to the point of paranoia is a possibility.