Electrodermal indices of public offending and recidivism

Three hypotheses based on the relationship between electrodermal activity and 'psychopathic' behaviour were investigated. These hypotheses are that 'psychopathic' behaviour relates to frequency of spontaneous fluctuations (Schalling, 1978), orienting response recovery time (Mednick, 1975) and orienting response amplitude (Siddle, Nicol and Foggitt, 1973). Non-recidivistic domestic offenders and highly recidivistic public offenders were compared on two test sessions. The high public risk recidivists had relatively lower rates of spontaneous fluctuation on both test sessions (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.02) and longer recovery OR(t/2)(p less than 0.05) on the first session. Reductions in fluctuation rate over sessions were significant for both groups, but were very much greater in the domestic offenders (p less than 0.001) than in the public offenders. OR amplitude did not discriminate between groups.