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.
Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6286, USA. yugao@sas.upenn.edu
Yu
Y
Gao
Adrian
A
Raine
Peter H
PH
Venables
Michael E
ME
Dawson
Sarnoff A
SA
Mednick
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