Question: How come some sociopaths become things like serial killers and over all violent people and some other sociopaths manage to live a relatively violence free life and they can maintain well paying jobs while others cannot secure a minimum wage job

Joe Bathelt answered on 14 Nov 2016:

Traits associated with sociopathy are highly heritable, but as you suggest most people who score highly on a sociopathy questionnaire will not end up as violent offenders in prison. However, scores of sociopathic traits are higher among violent offenders.
The current thinking is that we inherit a predisposition to become a sociopath. So, if you had these genes then you would be more likely to score highly on sociopathic traits, but it does not mean that you definitely will. The environment also plays a role. So, if someone with a high predisposition to sociopathy grows up in an environment that teaches her/him about how to behave in society then she/he could adjust well despite their genetic predisposition. On the other hand, in a less optimal environment, e.g. one with high violence and interpersonal exploitation, sociopathic traits may be encouraged.
In short, genes only increase the likelihood of becoming a sociopath, but the environment determines the outcome of this predisposition.