Perception of facial expressions of fear: comparative research with criminal and non-criminal psychopaths

Abstract

A group of criminal psychopaths (n = 22) was compared against three control groups – non-criminal psychopaths (n = 16), criminal non-psychopaths (n = 11), and non-criminal non-psychopaths (n = 13) – on a go/no-go paradigm to test whether criminal psychopaths' poor ability to recognise facial expressions of fear can be generalised to non-criminal psychopaths and to other non-psychopathic criminals. Both criminal and non-criminal psychopaths showed significantly worse performance than non-psychopaths in the detection and discrimination of fear in facial expressions. These results suggest that psychopathy, independently of its manifestation in criminal behaviour, seems to be related to poor ability to identify and discriminate facial expressions of fear. Additionally, inhibition deficits or, at least, an impulsivity response pattern seem to be common to all criminal groups that were investigated.

Keywords:

• psychopathy
• successful psychopaths
• criminal behaviour
• facial expression
• emotions
• fear recognition

Acknowledgements

This study was made possible by to the Regional Delegation of the Portuguese Employment and Vocational Training Institute, the Vocational Training Centre of Castelo Branco, the General Directorate of Portuguese Correctional Services, and the Directory of Portuguese Criminal Police at Coimbra. The authors are also grateful to Manuela D'Oliveira for reviewing the manuscript.

Notes

1. The set can be accessed at http://www.macbrain.org. Development of the MacBrain Face Stimulus Set was overseen by Nim Tottenham and supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Early Experience and Brain Development. Please contact Nim Tottenham at [email protected] for more information concerning the stimulus set.