| Abstract: | Skin conductance of psychopathic (P) and nonpsychopathic (NP) criminals and noncriminal controls (N = 11 each group) was monitored while the numbers 1-12 were consecutively presented on a memory drum. After the 1st trial, Ss were informed that on each of the remaining 5 trials they would receive a strong electric shock when Number 8 appeared. Log conductance increases in the interval prior to shock were significantly smaller and began later for the P than for the NP Ss. The psychopaths were less responsive to shock than were the NP criminals but did not differ significantly from the noncriminal controls. There were no significant differences among groups in the rate of recovery from the effects of shock. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that the temporal gradient of fear arousal and response inhibition is steeper for psychopaths than for normal persons. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
