Reduced electrodermal fear conditioning from ages 3 to 8 years is associated with aggressive behavior at age 8 years.
BACKGROUND
Poor fear conditioning characterizes adult psychopathy and criminality, but it is not known whether it is related to aggressive/antisocial behavior in early childhood.


METHODS
Using a differential, partial reinforcement conditioning paradigm, electrodermal activity was recorded from 200 male and female children at ages 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 years. Antisocial/aggressive and hyperactive-inattentive measures were collected at age 8.


RESULTS
Poor electrodermal fear conditioning from ages 3 to 8 years was associated with aggressive behavior at age 8 in both males and females.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that the relationship between poor fear conditioning and aggression occurs early in childhood. Enhanced electrodermal fear conditioning may protect children against future aggressive/violent behavior. Abnormal amygdala functioning, as indirectly assessed by fear conditioning, may be one of the factors influencing the development of childhood aggression.
Gao
Yu
Y
Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6286, USA. yugao@sas.upenn.edu
Raine
Adrian
A
Venables
Peter H
PH
Dawson
Michael E
ME
Mednick
Sarnoff A
SA
D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male