Examining the relationships between sub-clinical psychopathic traits with shame, guilt and externalisation response tendencies to everyday transgressions. Issue 4 (3rd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prado, Catherine E.; Treeby, Matt S.; Crowe, Simon F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic psychiatry & psychology. Volume 27:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 569
• Page End: 585
• Publication Date: 2016-07-03
• Subjects: Psychopathic traits -- guilt -- shame -- self-conscious emotions -- primary psychopathy -- secondary psychopathy; Forensic psychiatry -- Periodicals; Forensic psychology -- Periodicals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1080/14789949.2016.1167933
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-9949

Abstract

Abstract: Although many theories of psychopathy include reference to some form of emotional deficit, surprisingly little research has examined the relationships between psychopathic traits and important self-conscious moral emotions such as shame and guilt. The present study sought to examine these relationships in a sub-clinical sample, taking into account the important theoretical differences between the two emotions. Participants ( N = 739) completed a measure of psychopathic traits and a measure of self-conscious affect style. Both primary and secondary psychopathic traits were found to be inversely related to guilt-proneness; however, the effect size was greater for primary psychopathic traits. Primary psychopathic traits were unrelated to shame-proneness, while secondary psychopathic traits were positively related to shame-proneness. Both primary and secondary traits were positively related to externalisation; however the effect size was greater for primary over secondary traits. The findings provide support for affective differences between psychopathy variants.