Emotion among women with psychopathy during picture perception.
Emotional reactions in women with psychopathy were examined in a mixed-picture paradigm using psychophysiological measures. Startle probes were presented at 2.0 or 4.5 s following onset of a 6-s picture presentation. At 2.0 s, nonpsychopaths exhibited the typical pattern of eyeblink reflex magnitude: unpleasant > neutral > pleasant. Psychopaths with high general levels of anxiety also exhibited this pattern. Psychopaths with lower anxiety exhibited attenuated reflex magnitudes during unpleasant pictures. Similarly, when focusing on psychopathy components, only individuals expressing high antisocial behavior and high emotional detachment exhibited smaller reflex magnitudes during unpleasant pictures. At 4.5 s, all groups exhibited normal, potentiated reflex magnitudes during unpleasant pictures. Group differences were not observed for other measures.
Sutton
Steven K
SK
Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables Florida 33124-2070, USA. sksutton@miami.edu
Vitale
Jennifer E
JE
Newman
Joseph P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000523:psychology; D004576:Electromyography / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*