Aggression, Callous-Unemotionality, and Empathy

• In Event: Genetic and Biological Influences on Criminal Behavior and its Correlates

Abstract

The association between psychopathy and aggressive antisocial behavior is strongly supported. Only recently have scholars began to examine the unique contribution of the various dimensions of psychopathy to aggressive behavior. Of interest in the proposed study, the callous-unemotional dimension of psychopathy has been found to consistently explain variation in aggressive behavior. The similar, yet distinct construct of empathy is also associated with aggressive behavior. While the constructs of callous-unemotionality and empathy are similar, examination of the two-factor model of empathy may alter the perspective of global empathy resting at the core of psychopathy and, more specifically, callous-unemotionality. Due to the shared neurological networks between callous-unemotionality and affective empathy to the exclusion of cognitive empathy, the association between callous-unemotionality and aggression may operate solely through affective empathy with little or no contribution of cognitive empathy to aggressive behavior

Authors

• Jessica Wells, Sam Houston State University

• Todd Armstrong, Sam Houston State University

• Danielle Boisvert, Sam Houston State University

• Brian B. Boutwell, Saint Louis University

• Matt R. Nobles, Sam Houston State University

• David Gangitano, Sam Houston State University