RST and psychopathy: associations between psychopathy and the behavioral activation and inhibition systems

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511819384.014

13 - RST and psychopathy: associations between psychopathy and the behavioral activation and inhibition systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011

John F. Wallace and

Joseph P. Newman

Edited by

Philip J. Corr

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John F. Wallace: Affiliation:
Professor, Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Joseph P. Newman: Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Philip J. Corr: Affiliation:
University of Wales, Swansea

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Summary

We review the experimental evidence regarding information processing anomalies that have been observed in psychopaths, and conclude that the body of evidence is in substantially better accord with the revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST), and, in particular, the current conceptualization of the BIS, than with the original version of RST. In addition, clear associations exist between psychopathy and self-report measures of the BAS and BIS constructs, and we discuss possible explanations for those associations that merit evaluation in future psychopathy research.

RST and psychopathy: associations between psychopathy and the BAS and BIS

Maladaptive behavior that is anti-social or impulsive in nature has been characterized as reflecting disinhibition – a decreased ability to regulate response inclinations in light of possible adverse consequences (e.g., Gorenstein and Newman 1980). Due to psychopaths' penchant for engaging in anti-social, maladaptive behavior, psychopathy is a prototypical example of the clinical syndromes that have disinhibited behavior as a prominent feature. For instance, although psychopaths make up only 1 per cent of the general population, they constitute 15 to 25 per cent of the prison population (Hare 1996), and psychopathic offenders are two to five times more likely to re-offend than are non-psychopaths (Hemphill, Hare and Wong 1998; Quinsey, Rice and Harris 1995; Serin 1996; Walters 2003).

Type: Chapter
Information: The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality , pp. 398 - 414

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511819384.014 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2008

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