Do you think narcissists and sociopaths are born that way or do you think their circumstances molded them to be the way they are ??

It depends on many things
Their environment, how they were treated by their caretakers /parents
..also it could be a neurological issue

I watched an interesting documentary many years ago. It was about sociopaths and psycopaths . They were looking at mri scans of a " normal " brain and compared to the brain of a psychopath. There is definitely a difference. Turned out this doctor in the documentary did one of these brain scans and his resembled that of the psychopath brain. He explained he had a wonderful upbringing with loving and supportive parents and perhaps that had something to do with how he turned out doing well . It was just interesting.

If they were not born that way then i think they got molded that way in a really young age

Something had to happen to make them that way.

Some try to explain it away with science, but the experts never seem to say, "Maybe it is because he or she was treated very badly at some point in life."

Trauma does have lasting effects.

I think sociopaths are born that way and are unable to change. Narcissists, on the other hand, were molded and trained to be that way...usually by their abusive narcissist parents.

Genetic predisposition plus they have someone doting on them at a very young age that reinforces their way of thinking and behaviors. And with their relentless destructive patterns of evil behavior I don’t doubt demon possession. Have heard psychologists who have dealt with them even say this.

They are personality disorders that develop over time.
Psychopaths on the other hand can have a both genetic as well as environmental factors involved.

That's a tough question! I think it is more nature.

I think its mostly nurture that fosters empathy and/or narcissism, not nature.

A combination of both.

Personality disorders aren't as common as people believe them to be. It irritates that many these days claim to have dated a narcissist or a sociopath..etc Throw that word around either for attention, or desperately attempting to grasp that everyday people are capable of manipulation, control and deceit..

And not all of those who have the disorders are dangerous or destructive..

Other disorders I see being romanticized or demonized include bipolar and borderline.

I know someone who is narcissistic. So was his dad. Its deep rooted in him and will take years of therapy for him to overcome what his parents brainwashed into him.

I heard a psychologist say that psychopaths are born, sociopaths are made. Not sure about narcissism.

Narcissism is a personality disorder which means it's developed or "nurtured". They're not born that way.

Sociopathy is not in the DSM so its rules are really subjective.

You need a predisposition to it. But then it has to be switched on , usually by your environment😷

My relative is a sociopath due to his mother having electrotherapy when pregnant with him. Narcissism could be genetic or environmental; for example, if your parents overpraised or scolded you, you may acquire narcissism; however, this cannot be generalised to everyone because it is much more complex.

Both ???

I think that like a lot of mental illness it is genetic. 3 of my children are autistic. Their grandfather was autistic. A friend's son is schizophrenic so was his grandmother.

Born that way

I think it's probably a combination of genetics and environment.

It’s both for sure

Psychopaths are born and sociopaths are made.

Narcissistic personality disorder requires some genetic input to qualify, which means you can be born with it but your environment prevents it from surfacing, or you can be born with it and you learn to cultivate that narcissistic predisposition into fruition.

Their upbringing usually plays a pivotable role.