The Sociopath Next Door Analysis

The Sociopath Next Door consists of an introduction chapter and then twelve additional chapters. The introduction is all about the reader trying to imagine themselves as being a sociopath by giving the reader the symptoms and asking them what they would do in certain situations. Symptoms included in the introduction are lack of a conscience, no feelings of guilt or remorse, no concern for the well-being of others, being selfish, harmful, glib, superficial charm, manipulative, and impulsive (Stout, 2005). The author goes on to say that the ailment of missing a conscience is referred to as sociopathy which is also known as psychopathy. Stout (2005) then compares sociopathy to antisocial personality disorder as defined by the DSM IV. She argues that the main difference between sociopathy and

Stout (2005) defines conscience as a seventh sense. She says that conscience is not a behavior or something that we think about, instead conscience is what we feel. “Conscience is neither behavioral nor cognitive. Conscience exists primarily in the realm of affect, better known as emotion” (Stout, 2005, p. 25). Stout (2005) also gives the history of conscience going all the way back hundreds of years when the church taught people that conscience was the difference between doing something “good” and doing something “bad.” She then moves on to talk about Sigmund Freud’s ideas about conscience and how he thought it was broken in some people and could be repaired through psychoanalysis. The reader then moves on to chapter two. This chapter discusses whether sociopaths know they are sociopathic or not. The main finding in sociopaths is that they refuse to take responsibility for their actions and they believe they are superior to those of us who have a conscience. Stout (2005) states that the people who are most targeted by sociopaths are those who are strong in character because sociopaths envy