Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
10:32
Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Self-reported psychopathy: a validation study
D R Lynam1, S Whiteside, S Jones
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, USA. DLYNA1@POP.UKY.EDU
Journal of Personality Assessment
|September 25, 1999
Summary
This study validates Levenson's Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) in a general population. Findings confirm its reliability and two-factor structure, supporting its use in assessing psychopathy outside clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- The Levenson's Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) is a key instrument for assessing psychopathy.
- Its reliability and validity in non-institutionalized populations require thorough examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and validity of the LSRP in a non-institutionalized population.
- To examine the factor structure of the LSRP and its correlation with antisocial behavior and personality traits.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted: one with 1,958 undergraduates and another with 70 participants.
- Confirmatory factor analyses and performance tasks were utilized to assess the LSRP's psychometric properties.
Main Results:
- The LSRP demonstrated strong reliability and validity, with its two-factor structure being consistently replicated.
- Significant correlations were found between the LSRP and measures of delinquency and personality traits.
- Undergraduates scoring high on the LSRP exhibited response modulation deficits similar to incarcerated psychopaths.
Conclusions:
- The LSRP is a reliable and valid measure of psychopathy in non-institutionalized individuals.
- The findings support the two-factor model of psychopathy and its applicability across different populations.
- The study highlights the utility of the LSRP in research and potentially in clinical settings for identifying psychopathic traits.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
01:24Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is a chronic mental health condition characterized by persistent patterns of disregard for the rights and well-being of others. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder exhibit behaviors that include deceitfulness, impulsivity, irresponsibility, aggression, and a profound lack of empathy. These traits often manifest early in life and persist into adulthood, leading to significant personal, social, and legal consequences.
Behavioral Characteristics and...
Behavioral Characteristics and...
01:24Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring is a central construct in understanding individual differences in self-presentation strategies across social contexts. It refers to how individuals observe, regulate, and control their expressive behavior and self-presentation following situational cues. Self-monitoring reflects a person's sensitivity to social appropriateness and willingness to adapt behavior to fit varying interpersonal demands.High vs. Low Self-Monitoring IndividualsIndividuals high in self-monitoring are...
01:29Dark Triad and Person Perception
Person perception is influenced by both external behaviors and the observer’s internal characteristics, including personality traits. Individuals with dark personality traits, comprising psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism — collectively known as the dark triad – exhibit manipulative and exploitative tendencies in social contexts. These traits affect how they perceive others and how they are perceived.The Role of Dark Personality Traits in Person PerceptionBlack et al. (2014) explored...