| Summary: |
Psychopathy is characterized by a cluster of affective traits, interpersonal and behavioural patterns such as disregard for the rights of others, pathological lying, egocentricity, lack of empathy, violation of social norms and antisocial behavioural style [1]. While abnormal patterns of social cognitive functioning have been described on laboratorial situations, these data are not consistent [2,3,PP4] and seem at odds with what should be expected given the behavioural patterns of psychopaths on natural settings. The experimental study on the patterns of social interaction in psychopathy through economic games, such as the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD), has globally shown that cooperation is the predominant behavioural pattern, even for psychopaths [4]. Together with results displaying no abnormalities on social cognitive tasks [5], this conclusion seems inconsistent with recurrent findings in psychopathy of structural and functional brain abnormalities in structures involved in social cognition[6]. Our previous and ongoing research on criminals and psychopathic individuals at the Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory suggests that these individuals may present abnormalities on the automatic accommodation of peripheral emotional information. The model proposed in the present project assumes that this failure goes beyond the accommodation of peripheral information and extends to the automaticity of processes involved in social cognition, such as the automatic decoding of facial emotional expressions, inference of mental states or cooperation. The model also assumes that psychopaths are capable of producing adequate behavioural responses which, however, rely on distinct neurocognitive processes. This proposal is based on a dual-process conception of neurocognitive functioning, in which strategic and explicit reasoning (type 2) is described as a process relying on working memory, unlike implicit processes (type 1) [7]. However, we suggest that, when predicting the performance  |
Summary
Psychopathy is characterized by a cluster of affective traits, interpersonal and behavioural patterns such as disregard for the rights of others, pathological lying, egocentricity, lack of empathy, violation of social norms and antisocial behavioural style [1]. While abnormal patterns of social cognitive functioning have been described on laboratorial situations, these data are not consistent [2,3,PP4] and seem at odds with what should be expected given the behavioural patterns of psychopaths on natural settings. The experimental study on the patterns of social interaction in psychopathy through economic games, such as the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD), has globally shown that cooperation is the predominant behavioural pattern, even for psychopaths [4]. Together with results displaying no abnormalities on social cognitive tasks [5], this conclusion seems inconsistent with recurrent findings in psychopathy of structural and functional brain abnormalities in structures involved in social cognition[6]. Our previous and ongoing research on criminals and psychopathic individuals at the Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory suggests that these individuals may present abnormalities on the automatic accommodation of peripheral emotional information. The model proposed in the present project assumes that this failure goes beyond the accommodation of peripheral information and extends to the automaticity of processes involved in social cognition, such as the automatic decoding of facial emotional expressions, inference of mental states or cooperation. The model also assumes that psychopaths are capable of producing adequate behavioural responses which, however, rely on distinct neurocognitive processes. This proposal is based on a dual-process conception of neurocognitive functioning, in which strategic and explicit reasoning (type 2) is described as a process relying on working memory, unlike implicit processes (type 1) [7]. However, we suggest that, when predicting the performance of participants on social cognitive tasks, besides considering the type of processes utilized, one should consider the interaction between each type of process. In this model, type 1 and type 2 processes may work together towards the same outcome (synergetic interaction) or may conflict and thus compete in the production of the response (antagonistic interaction). Under this framework we consider that psychopathic participants will display effortful strategic (type 2) processing in social cognitive tasks, when enough cognitive resources are available. The present project is designed to test an interactive dual-process model of social cognition applied to psychopathic individuals, as described above. To this end, two versions of the Ultimatum Game (UG), in which synergy/antagonism are manipulated, will be used, while participants high and low on psychopathy scores are disabled from using type 2 processes (via working memory overload), or forced to use such processes (via gain maximizing instructions). Behavioural data concerning acceptance and rejection rates for unfair offers under each condition will be analysed. In addition, high-density (128 channel) EEG data will be recorded and time domain (event related potentials - ERP) and time-frequency (oscillations) analyses will be performed. These indexes will be used as correlates of memory load and cognitive effort while subjects consider the offers and produce behavioural responses. Overall, we expect the manipulation which forces type 1 processing to have no effect on controls on the rejection of unfair offers (as this constitutes their default mode). By contrast, the manipulation that forces type 2 strategic processing will have no behavioural effect on participants high on psychopathy. Also, the main result expected from the time-frequency analyses is that while for controls only maximizing instructions conditions involve type 2 processes, as indexed by increased gamma power, psychopaths always appeal to such processes in responding to the UG. Other electrophysiological results may help clarify current inconsistencies in the literature. To our knowledge this project constitutes the first application of a UG scenario to the study of psychopathy and the first analysis of oscillatory activity in this task. Moreover, it formally describes and tests the application of an interactive dual-process framework to social cognition and psychopathy. This model may resolve some of the inconsistencies found on the experimental research on psychopathy. A final contribution from the present project will be the Portuguese adaptation of two self-report measures of psychopathy: the Levenson Primary and Secondary Psychopathy scale (LPSP) [8] and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory - Revised (PPI-R) [9]. These will constitute invaluable research tools, enabling the large-scale assessment of individuals, and finding potential non forensic participants for experimental research. |