Physiological measures of anti-social behavior within psychopathy.

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to utilize new physiological measures associated with psychopathy and criminal behavior. Research has demonstrated a link between psychopathy and criminal behavior (Douglas, Vincent, & Edens, 2006; Porter & Woodworth, 2007). There is also a link between psychopathy and physiological responses (Rose, 2011). However, previous research focused on resting heart rate, skin conductance, and affective responses. However, heart rate variability, measured on a continuum, has not been explored. When examining variability, it was hypothesized that while examining criminal behavior, those with higher psychopathy scores would show less variability to crime images than neutral images. In the present study, participants completed the Dark Triad and the CMI to assess general criminal behavior. Participants then saw crime depicting images and neutral (non-crime depicting) images. Heart rate variability was monitored. Results indicated that participants who were higher in the psychopathic trait demonstrated lower heart rate variability to crime depicting images than neutral images. Those who scored low in psychopathy had higher heart rate variability to crime depicting image than neutral images. The results demonstrate a link between psychopathic traits and antisocial behavior in a nonclinical population. Thus, criminal behavior and psychopathic traits are related to physiological responses.