Relationship between Proactive Aggression and Dark Triad Traits: Shared Brain Functional Connectivity Pathway

• In Event: Neurocognitive and Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying Antisocial Behaviors Across Development: Evidence From Three Countries

Abstract

This study investigated associations between proactive aggression and dark triad traits (psychopathy, narcissism, machiavellianism) and related brain connectivity using MRI. The data came from a 3-year longitudinal cohort with current analyses focusing on the 1-year follow-up data. The sample included 148 participants (mean age= 24.3), 136 of whom completed both behavioral and functional-connectivity assessments. Dark triad traits were measured with the Dirty Dozen, and proactive aggression was assessed by Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire while brain functional connectivity data was measured by resting-state MRI. Results showed that proactive aggression correlated positively with all dark triad traits (rs = 0.18 to 0.34, p < 0.05). Proactive aggression and narcissism were each positively associated with inferior frontal gyrus–precentral gyrus connectivity (r = 0.17, p = .04; r = 0.22, p = .01). Psychopathy and narcissism (r = 0.21, p = .01; r = 0.25, p = .004) and proactive aggression (r = 0.17, p = .04; r = 0.22, p = .01) were positively related to insular–precentral gyrus connectivity. These results suggest two shared functional connectivity pathways—inferior frontal gyrus–precentral gyrus and insular–precentral gyrus—linking proactive aggression with narcissism and psychopathy, clarifying the underlying neural mechanisms.

Authors

• Bess Yin-Hung Lam, Hong Kong Shue Yan University

• Adrian Raine, University of Pennsylvania

• Simon Yu, University of Hong Kong

• Paulina Wong, Lingnan University

• Yini Tang, Hong Kong Shue Yan University