The implicit measurement of psychopathy

Abstract

This study explored whether psychopathic traits might be measured using indirect or “implicit” measures. Three Implicit Association Tests, reflecting each domain of the Triarchic model of psychopathy: Boldness, Meanness and Disinhibition, were completed by mixed-gender, community-based samples (ns = 334, 376, 358). Each IAT demonstrated good internal reliability and showed concurrent validity. Associations with self-report scores on a validated explicit measure of Triarchic psychopathy exceeded those generally reported in the personality IAT literature. The IATs displayed discriminant validity, only correlating with their counterpart domain scores, predictive validity to some explicit measures of known correlates of psychopathy (e.g., aggression), and were robust to socially desirable responding. With further development, the IATs may be a useful research tool alongside self-report psychopathy measures.