Feature	Sociopathic Abuse	Psychopathic Abuse
Emotional regulation	High intensity but inconsistent	Flat or absent emotions
Impulsivity	Often impulsive; erupts quickly	Calculated and deliberate
Remorse	Sometimes feels guilt or shame	Rare or absent
Manipulation	Emotional, reactive, chaotic	Strategic, cold, premeditated
Attachment	Can form attachments	Often shallow or non-existent
Rage	Explosive but finite	Controlled, can escalate slowly or stay simmering
Goal orientation	Short-term, reactive	Long-term, goal-driven exploitation
Impact on survivor	Confusing, destabilising	Systematic, controlling, often more dangerous

Note: Sociopaths can temporarily behave like psychopaths when stressed, threatened, or losing control.

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