On a fundamental level, it's a matter of severity. Sociopathy is much, MUCH less severe than psychopathy, more characterized by a lack of cognitive empathy (EG, a sociopath doesn't think of consequences to anyone but them). Psychopathy goes much further, often characterized by an active desire to hurt others in some way (physical, emotional, mental, whatever). Whereas a sociopath might simply do something because they don't care about the consequences (con someone out of their money simply because they don't realize that it'll ruin the other person's life), a psychopath will take similar actions because they know it'll hurt the person, and relish in that.
English
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[quote]Psychopathy goes much further, often characterized by an active [b]desire [/b]to hurt others in some way (physical, emotional, mental, whatever). [/quote] wrong
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Desire is perhaps the wrong word, but it is intended. Not as a periphery, but as the end goal A sociopath may end up hurting people as collateral damage to their own pursuit (breaking people's hearts because they're just out for sex), but a psychopath tends to ENJOY that hurt. (They'd date people and deliberately break their hearts for "fun")
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Huh... maybe I should get tested for that...
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Well said.