Abstract
This study examined the relationships between psychopathy (primary and secondary), intelligence and emotional responding in a sample of 50 university students, using a task measuring autonomic responses to 40 pictorial stimuli (20 neutral and 20 emotionally provoking). Results indicated no significant direct relationship between primary or secondary psychopathy and emotional response, or primary or secondary psychopathy and intelligence. However, a significant moderating effect of intelligence on the association between both psychopathy factors and emotional response was observed, indicating those scoring higher on psychopathy but with lower intelligence portray the expected emotional responses to the affective stimuli (primary: β = −.56, p < .05; secondary: β = .80, p < .001). These findings indicate abnormal reactivity to emotional stimuli in lower intelligence, higher psychopathic individuals, and suggest differing roles for the two facets of psychopathy in affective responsiveness deviations.
Highlights
Psychopathy is characterised by a distinct cluster of interpersonal, affective, and behavioural characteristics (Hare, 1996)
Results indicated no significant associations between either of the psychopathy factors and intelligence, or either of the psychopathy factors and emotional responses
A weak moderate negative correlation was found between age and psychopathy factors 1 (r = .33) indicating that as age increases, the interpersonal and affective traits of psychopathy decrease
Summary
Psychopathy is characterised by a distinct cluster of interpersonal (e.g. deceitfulness and manipulation), affective (e.g. lack of empathy, remorse or guilt), and behavioural (e.g. irresponsibility and impulsivity) characteristics (Hare, 1996). The importance of psychopathy as a clinical construct has been demonstrated by multiple studies documenting a robust association between psychopathy and criminal behaviour (see Dhingra & Boduszek, 2013 for a review). Previous research has not considered the moderating role that intelligence may have on the association between psychopathy factors (primary and secondary) and emotional responses. This is an important omission as preliminary research indicates an.
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