Psychopathy and Emotional Processing in Incarcerated Women Using Visual Stimuli: A Study on Valence, Arousal, and Dominance

• In Event: Reintegration & Desistance

Abstract

Psychopathy is characterized by emotional deficits and difficulties in processing affective stimuli, which may impact social behavior and emotional responses. This study investigated the relationship between emotional processing and psychopathic traits in incarcerated women, focusing on the dimensions of valence, arousal, and dominance in response to emotional stimuli. The sample consisted of 164 incarcerated women aged 18 to 81 years (M = 38.75, SD = 11.99), categorized into groups with lower and higher psychopathy propensity based on the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale–Short Form (SRP-SF). Participants evaluated 30 images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), including pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral images, using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) to assess valence, arousal, and dominance.
The results indicated no significant differences in valence between the groups. However, women with higher psychopathy propensity exhibited lower arousal levels in response to neutral images and a reduced sense of control when evaluating unpleasant images. These women also demonstrated heightened emotional reactivity to threatening images but hypo-reactivity to images of suffering. Additionally, psychopathic lifestyle, interpersonal, and affective traits were positively correlated with arousal in response to unpleasant images, while the antisocial trait was associated with a reduced sense of control.
These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to develop emotional and social competencies, aiming at social reintegration, increased empathy, and reduced criminal recidivism.

Authors

• Marina Leonor Pinheiro, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

• Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves, Universidade do Minho

• Olga Cunha, University of Minho