When it comes to narrowing down a list of five characteristics of a sociopath, one thing is for certain: there are more than five. However, there are five common traits that most sociopaths exhibit and these can often be the first signs that a person has that they are dealing with someone who may be a sociopath.

1. Irresponsibility
While alone, irresponsibility isn’t a terrible characteristic, it can be one of the first characteristics of a sociopath that people have. They can bounce from goal to goal, refuse to honor their obligations, or act on a whim with no regard to who or what might be at risk because of their behavior. Irresponsibility can also take on the form of disregarding societal norms if it doesn’t suit a sociopath’s needs at the moment. It also manifests in a refusal to take on responsibility for their actions, because a sociopath seems to always assume that anyone hurt by their actions got exactly what they deserved.

2. Lying
One of the top five characteristics of a sociopath is that they lie constantly. They will lie to get what they want, hurt others, or just for their own amusement. Sociopaths are adept at lying because it comes so naturally to them; in fact, many probably don’t remember a time where they didn’t lie. They also most likely don’t believe that lying is wrong. And most sociopaths can lie with such charm and grace that most people never question if the person is telling the truth. In fact, this is probably the most recognizable sign of a sociopath: they lie so much that once they’re found out, it’s hard to know if they had ever told the truth.

3. Lack of Emotion
Lack of emotion is another of the five characteristics of a sociopath. The inability to feel any emotion, with the possible exception of feigning it for personal gain, is common among this group of people and can be also one of the most destructive aspects of their personality. A person with no emotion can be eerily calm in moments that normal people would consider heartbreaking or frightening and will often drop the act of emotion when it no longer suits them. This lack of emotion also allows them to dismantle their lives quickly, with no thought to the destruction they may leave behind, and move on without baggage.

4. Manipulation
These people are masters of manipulation; it is one of the best tricks in their bag. It’s also a strong characteristic of a sociopath. They use manipulation as a tool every day to get the results they want, whether that means a promotion, a new relationship, more money, or to get revenge on a person.

Snip... they will use it every time they want something without regard to the consequences; this can lead to broken homes or people getting hurt because of their actions.

5. Superficially Charming
Snip...
One of the most interesting things about sociopaths is that they can be incredibly charming, but only in a superficial way. Snip...

https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/lists/5-characteristics-of-a-sociopath/

https://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html

Glibness and superficial charm are at the top of the list. A lot of the traits go along nicely with narcissism. Add in some sadism and you have our POTUS. Isn't that just lovely for us.

I clicked through and found this tidbit which cuts to the heart of the matter.

https://www.damninteresting.com/the-unburdened-mind/

"Those who do succeed can do so spectacularly. For instance, while it may sound like a cynical joke, it’s a fact that psychopaths have a clear advantage in fields such as law, business, and politics. They take risks and aren’t fazed by failures. They know how to charm and manipulate."

I was dating a sociopath for a long time (not severe but enough to cause constant problems) and I asked my therapist about the disorder. He told me that "sociopaths are everywhere, just look at politicians". That clarified it for me.

Recognizing Antisocial Behavior in Adults and Children

Signs of ASPD in adults
The signs of ASPD can vary widely from person to person. In addition, one person’s symptoms may change over time. When reading through these signs, keep in mind that all humans exhibit this kind of behavior from time to time, especially when they’re upset. They aren’t always signs of ASPD.

Unlike someone having a particularly bad day, people with ASPD never feel any remorse for what they’ve said or done, even if it caused someone a great deal of harm.

1. Lack of empathy
One of the most notable symptoms of ASPD is a lack of empathy. In response to another person’s feelings, they may come across as:

cold
unfeeling
callous
overly critical
harsh
People with ASPD don’t always realize how harmful their actions are. In other cases, they may simply not care that their actions hurt someone.

2. Disregard for right and wrong
People with ASPD generally have no regard for boundaries, rules, or laws. Someone with ASPD may:

lie
cheat
steal from others
break laws
be in constant legal trouble
be in an out of jail for minor to major crimes
When disregarding right and wrong, people with ASPD usually don’t consider the short- or long-term consequences of their actions.

More at the link.
https://www.healthline.com/health/sociopath-signs