Related Experiment Videos
The psychopath as observer: emotion and attention in picture processing
G K Levenston1, C J Patrick, M M Bradley
1Department of Psychology, Florida State University, USA.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|October 4, 2000
Summary
Psychopaths exhibit altered startle responses to emotional stimuli, showing reduced aversion to negative images and impaired initial processing of stimuli. This suggests a heightened aversion threshold and weaknesses in early stimulus evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- Psychopathy is associated with emotional deficits.
- Previous research indicates abnormal affect-startle modulation in psychopaths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate affect-startle modulation in psychopaths viewing pleasant and unpleasant stimuli.
- To examine early and late startle reflex modulation in relation to emotional content.
Main Methods:
- Male prisoners (psychopaths and nonpsychopaths) viewed pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral images.
- Acoustic startle probes were administered at early (300, 800 ms) and late (1800, 3000, 4500 ms) viewing intervals.
- Electromyography measured blink reflex; heart rate was also monitored.
Main Results:
- Nonpsychopaths showed increased startle reflex to victim and threat scenes at later times.
- Psychopaths exhibited inhibited startle to victim scenes and weak potentiation to threat scenes.
- Psychopaths displayed more blink inhibition to pleasant stimuli and greater heart rate orienting to all affective pictures.
Conclusions:
- Psychopaths demonstrate a heightened aversion threshold.
- Deficient early reflex modulation in psychopaths suggests impaired initial stimulus evaluation.
- Findings contribute to understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of psychopathy.