Possible effect of punishment on self-interest behaviors in psychopathy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26885116
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Shudo University
• Principal Investigator: Osumi Takahiro 広島修道大学, 人文学部, 助教 (50737012)
• Research Collaborator: UMEDA Satoshi 慶應義塾大学, 文学部, 教授 (90317272)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 反社会的パーソナリティ / サイコパシー / 罰 / 公正性 / 共感性 / 意思決定 / 自律神経系 / 脳波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Psychopathic traits did not increase unfairness of behaviors in interactions with familiar people, which suggests that social sanctions including reputational damages inhibit selfish behaviors in psychopathic individuals. Conversely, psychopathic individuals showed unfair behaviors in interactions with strangers regardless of the possibility of an economic damage. Moreover, when doing an unfair behavior, psychopathic individuals showed reduced sympathetic activity that was verified by measuring electrodermal response and heart rate elevation. Although high tendencies in psychopathy were not associated with low levels of interoceptive awareness that was measured by using the heartbeat detection task, the findings support the hypothesis that deficient functioning in the defensive system underlies aggressiveness with norm violations in individuals with psychopathy. Meanwhile, the findings suggest that a physiologically aroused state is a factor inhibiting their selfish behaviors.

Free Research Field

社会生理心理学