Psychopathy, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Underlying Mechanisms

Guest conference : David Kosson, who obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1990-1994 when he joined Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

His research focuses on the cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying psychopathy and the developmental processes that contribute to adult psychopathy. Dr. Kosson is currently the president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy and the Aftermath: Surviving Psychopathy Foundation.

Summary

Psychopathy and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) are important syndromes associated with persistent antisocial behavior. However, the asymmetric overlap between them creates an obstacle to understanding the mechanisms that differentiate them.

To circumvent this difficulty, we have begun conducting studies comparing the criminal conduct and laboratory performance of offenders: 1) who meet diagnostic criteria for both ASPD and psychopathy, 2) who meet diagnostic criteria for ASPD but not psychopathy, and 3) who have neither ASPD nor psychopathic traits.

These studies provide evidence that affective deficits, left hemisphere activation deficits, and specific indices of affect dysregulation are unique to psychopathy. Additional studies address the extent to which these mechanisms account for relationships between psychopathy and criminal conduct.

Information

Conférence présentée par le Centre international de criminologie comparée