Business

How to work out if someone you know is a psychopath or a sociopath?

Think psychopath and most of us will probably come up with fictional characters like Patrick Bateman, and famous serial killers like Ted Bundy or Jack the Ripper – maybe even Sherlock Holmes comes to mind, when we talk about sociopaths.

But psychologists say it’s actually a lot more complex than we might think, with these two antisocial personality disorders sharing a lot of the same traits.

The term sociopath, whilst often used to refer to someone who is acting in their own self-interest, manipulating others or lacking in empathy, isn’t actually recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a diagnosis in its own right.

Rather, sociopathic traits – like psychopathic ones – fall under the wider umbrella of dissocial personality disorder.

And while sociopathy and psychopathy do share a lot of characteristics, according to Justin Brown, an expert in psychological patterns, there are some important differences to be aware of.

‘People with psychopathy don’t feel much empathy or guilt,’ he explained.

‘They can be quite charming on the outside and fit in easily with other people, but on the inside, they have a hard difficulty making meaningful emotional connections.

‘Sociopaths, on the other hand, may have some idea of what is right and wrong, but they have difficulties controlling their impulses and generally have a history of disobeying laws or having trouble with authority.’

It is also not uncommon for sociopaths to act out more overtly. And with around one per cent of the UK’s population falling somewhere on the spectrum, it is important to know what tell-tale signs to look out for – with a high number of CEOs demonstrating this specific pattern of behaviour.

ut just because someone shows these traits, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a sociopath, but knowing what to look out for can help you to set firmer boundaries.

Experts also believe that these people can change, and if someone is willing to look inwards and recognise these sociopathic traits, they have the chance of making meaningful connections.

Here, we break down the typical tendencies of sociopaths to look out for…

They will be aware of your every move and will never say sorry… and mean it

For centuries we’ve had a strong cultural sense of what a sociopath is: someone who takes no issue with inflicting pain and will manipulate and deceive those around them for personal gain.

From Bret Easton Ellis’ Patrick Bateman to Brontë’s Heathcliff, most of us feel pretty confident throwing this term around – but until recently, science hasn’t been able to offer a true distinction.

But just because someone shows these traits, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a sociopath, but knowing what to look out for can help you to set firmer boundaries.

Experts also believe that these people can change, and if someone is willing to look inwards and recognise these sociopathic traits, they have the chance of making meaningful connections.

Here, we break down the typical tendencies of sociopaths to look out for…

They will be aware of your every move and will never say sorry… and mean it

For centuries we’ve had a strong cultural sense of what a sociopath is: someone who takes no issue with inflicting pain and will manipulate and deceive those around them for personal gain.

But now, brain scans show that sociopaths have different brain chemistry from the rest of the population.

‘Brain imaging studies show less activity in the circuits that generate fear and empathy,’ Dr Caitlyn McClure explains.

‘As a result, behaviour seems reward-focused, planned, and amazingly guilt-free.’

Therefore, it’s not unusual for sociopaths to engage in obsessive behaviour – which at times can culminate in aggression or violence when things don’t go their way.

And unfortunately, for many, this means their hunger for control and power trumps any interest for a deeper meaningful connection, leaving those around them feeling isolated and even gaslit at times.

Which is also why they find it very hard to apologise and actually mean it.

‘If you observe someone who always overlooks other people’s feelings, uses people to obtain what they want, or doesn’t seem to feel bad about what they’ve done, you should be careful,’ Brown warned.

‘Don’t get drawn in and set firm non-negotiable boundaries in your own mind. Focus on what you can control and decide how close you want to let someone like this into your life.’

No long-lasting relationships

While sociopaths have no problem charming a crowd, personal relationships tend to elude them.

This is mostly due to the fact that they struggle to understand and experience deeper more nuanced emotions like guilt, love and particularly, empathy.

And whilst their innate ability to mirror the positive attributes and behaviours of those around them may make it look like they have a lot of friends, when it comes to building more meaningful connections they often struggle.

As Dr McClure explains: ‘Instead of being absent, like psychopaths, attachment capacity is damaged in sociopaths, resulting in spontaneous outbursts that are motivated by frustration.’

This relates in part to how their brains are wired, meaning their capacity for emotional depth is usually somewhat limited, and can make them very unpredictable.

Claire Law, a psychotherapist and legal contributor at Custody X Change, added: ‘Sociopaths can be warm one moment and angry the next.

‘Their reactions are emotional, and they often act before considering what might happen after. This impulsivity makes their relationships more chaotic and unstable.’

They live life on the edge – and will always work their charm for their own advantage

Unlike psychopaths, who tend to be colder and more removed from social circles, sociopaths can be charming and tend to live very successful lives.

This is because they have a ‘naturally low anxiety temperament’, Dr McClure says, meaning that they are biologically predisposed to remain calm under pressure.

So while they may present themselves as an attractive friends, colleague or partner who has your best interest at heart, behind the scenes they are master manipulators.

As Sumeet Grover, a registered psychotherapist, explains: ‘Pulling you into their world gives them power and a sense of grandiosity. And it deflects what is really going on for them internally.

‘Their sense of self is fragmented and so they don’t feel in the same way as most people. They can be very charming, believable and relatable, while often lacking in a felt sense of empathy or remorse,’ he told The Telegraph.

Studies have even shown that in stressful situations, when most people’s heart rate would increase, a sociopath’s will remain the same, or even go down.

This means that they often underestimate risk and experience a delayed response to fear – and big emotions are often the only way they can feel.

Experts have theorised that because sociopaths cannot experience emotion in the same way as people without the personality disorder, they are driven to destruction by a subconscious desire to feel something.

As Patric Gagne, a clinical psychologist and self-proclaimed ’21st century sociopath’, writes in her book, Sociopath: ‘I was starting to understand why doing bad things made me feel…

‘However brief, it connected me to the way I imagined everyone else felt all the time… And we weren’t ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ or ‘crazy’, we just had a harder time with feelings. We acted out to fill a void.’

Daily Mail

Business

UAE President to Begin Working Visit to India

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will begin a working visit to the Republic of India tomorrow.

During the visit, His Highness will hold talks with His Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, to explore opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation, reflecting the longstanding ties and Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnerships between the two countries.

WAM

Business

UAE records key gains in energy, infrastructure, housing in 2025

The United Arab Emirates reported significant growth across its energy, infrastructure, maritime transport, housing and digital transformation sectors in 2025, underscoring its ability to pair long-term planning with execution on the ground.

The achievements reflect a government approach built on innovation, operational efficiency and improving quality of life, demonstrating the ability to translate national strategies into tangible results that strengthen the country’s competitiveness.

In the housing sector, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure issued 3,567 housing support decisions with a total value of AED2.546 billion. These decisions included housing grants, loans, and housing financing solutions.

These efforts contributed to an unprecedented achievement, as the homeownership rate among UAE citizens rose to 91 percent, one of the highest rates globally. The UAE also won, for the first time, the presidency of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) General Assembly and secured membership on its Executive Council.

As for the energy sector, 2025 marked the launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance, which attracted the participation of more than 40 countries and international organisations—an initiative that underscores the UAE’s advanced role in leading global dialogues on reducing consumption and enhancing efficiency.

The year also witnessed the publication of the State of Energy Report 2025, the election of the UAE as a member of the Water Council of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the launch of a guidance manual for supporting domestic workers in eight languages to raise community awareness of responsible consumption practices.

The implementation of the National Energy and Water Demand Management Programme 2050 further reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to reducing energy demand by 42 percent–45 percent by 2050, through a comprehensive portfolio of projects and initiatives spanning the industrial, agricultural, built environment, and transport sectors.

In the infrastructure and transport sectors, the Ministry worked on developing the National Agenda for Addressing Traffic Congestion, which includes a portfolio of national transport and road projects valued at over AED170 billion through 2030.

The Ministry’s plan targets a 73 percent improvement in the efficiency of federal roads over the next five years, through the implementation of the Emirates Road upgrading and capacity enhancement project, with an investment of AED750 million. The plan also includes increasing the capacity of Al Ittihad Road by 60 percent and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road by 45 percent.

Additionally, the plan includes a feasibility study for the construction of the Fourth Federal Road, extending 120 kilometres with a capacity of up to 360,000 trips per day.

Moreover, the Ministry completed five major transformational projects, which are the humanisation of buildings and their transformation into healthy, well-being–supportive environments, the development of the Green Recycling Yards Project, the advancement of green industrial transformation, the implementation of the Sustainable Farm Irrigation Project, and the recycling of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries.

The UAE also continued to strengthen its global maritime presence by hosting the World Maritime Day Parallel Event and launching the National Maritime Navigation Centre, in addition to being re-elected for the fifth consecutive term to Category “B” membership of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The Ministry also won 41 local, regional, and international awards and obtained 19 ISO certifications, underscoring the maturity of its administrative systems and the quality of its operational processes.

In support of enhanced community engagement, the Ministry held 30 customer council meetings across the Emirates and signed 26 agreements and memoranda of understanding to expand partnerships, knowledge exchange, and amplify the impact of national projects. The year also witnessed the launch of the first fully integrated digital government services centre in Fujairah.

“The year 2025 represents an important milestone in the development journey of the energy, infrastructure, transport, and housing sectors in the UAE,” said Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “We witnessed tangible progress in the implementation of strategic projects that reflect the vision of our wise leadership in building an integrated, more efficient, and sustainable ecosystem capable of supporting economic growth and enhancing quality of life.”

“Our efforts have focused on strengthening the readiness of federal infrastructure, improving the efficiency of the energy system, and developing advanced housing solutions that align with the needs of citizens and their future aspirations,” he said.

Al Mazrouei added that the achievements realised in 2025 confirm the Ministry’s ability to translate national plans into concrete, data-driven results by adopting a work model based on effective governance, efficient resource management, and the expansion of local, regional, and international partnerships.”

“We commence 2026 confidently, building on clear results and solid foundations, while reaffirming our commitment to supporting the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ Vision, on the path toward the UAE Centennial 2071. The Ministry will continue its work to ensure advanced infrastructure, a sustainable energy sector, and flexible housing solutions that collectively enhance the country’s competitiveness and leadership at both the regional and global levels,” he noted.

WAM

Business

Industry Ministry, WEF Partner on Global Minerals

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the World Economic Forum announced a cooperation agreement signed on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh. The signing took place in the presence of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, FMF Chief Executive Ali Al-Mutairi, and World Economic Forum Executive Committee Member Fernando J. Gómez.
Under the agreement, the cooperation will run until September 2027, with FMF serving as the central and principal platform for implementation and management of the related dialogue. The cooperation aims to unify efforts to strengthen partnerships around critical minerals required for energy and other technologies, contributing to the assurance of resilient, sustainable, and responsible mineral supplies aligned with industrial objectives and the energy transition. According to the agreement, the initiative will be overseen by a joint executive committee comprising representatives from the ministry and the World Economic Forum.
The Future Minerals Forum and the World Economic Forum will support efforts to mobilize the public and private sectors to enhance resilience, transparency, and capacity building across mineral value chains. This includes developing and disseminating insights and knowledge on mineral traceability and policy options to increase supply. These insights are intended to complement FMF’s ongoing initiatives to advance standards and best practices in the sector.
The minister affirmed that this partnership represents a pivotal step toward advancing FMF’s objectives in building a more sustainable and equitable global minerals ecosystem, emphasizing that cooperation with the World Economic Forum embodies the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s vision to become a key hub within global mineral value chains.
Gómez expressed optimism about the cooperation with the ministry, stressing that securing resilient and sustainable mineral supplies requires close collaboration across sectors and borders, and that this partnership will help unlock the potential of mineral resources as drivers of sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
This cooperation further strengthens the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to advance international collaboration on minerals. Since the launch of the Future Minerals Forum in 2022, it has become a global platform that has helped shape the future of minerals and provides a space for cross-sector dialogue that supports action and leadership in mineral traceability and sustainability.
The ministry, the World Economic Forum, and the Future Minerals Forum will leverage this agreement to enhance cooperation between governments and the private sector, support enabling policies, best practices, and innovations across mineral supply chains, address sustainability and efficiency challenges, and strengthen environmental, social, and corporate governance standards.
The agreement reflects the World Economic Forum’s role as a neutral, non-profit international organization that supports cross-sector cooperation and promotes solution-oriented dialogue to ensure resource sustainability and inclusive growth. The project’s outcomes and insights are expected to contribute to the sixth edition of FMF, to be hosted in Riyadh in January 2027.
It is noteworthy that FMF brings together, through the government-led ministerial roundtable, senior government representatives, policymakers, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and stakeholders across the mineral value chain to address sector challenges, enhance investment opportunities, and ensure responsible and resilient mineral supplies.
— SPA