Volume 25 Num. 2 - June 2025
Unemotional psychopathy? What part of the emotional self-reported experience is missing in individuals scoring high, medium and low in psychopathy
Volume 25 Num. 2 - June 2025 - Pages 167-181
Authors:
Bolek, Ewelina , Trzebińska, Ewa , Braniecka, Anna
Abstract:
Volume 25, 2- June 1, 2025
Most of the research on emotion in psychopathy has, to date, concentrated on criminal trials and focused on specific emotions without examining how the emotions are experienced. This study aims to verify whether and how individuals showing different scores on a psychopathic scale present mixed emotion, which are considered particularly challenging due to accompanying uncertainty and ambivalence. Sixty individuals participated in a computer experiment in which they were shown one of four excerpts from the film evoking: (1) negative emotion, (2) positive emotion, (3) mixed emotions, and (4) neutral affect. Subsequently, they reported the level of three forms of meta-emotions toward that experience: (1) curiosity, (2) distress, and (3) being moved. The level of the trait of psychopathy was measured using the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III. Results revealed that individuals scoring high on psychopathy show a lower ability to experience the meta-emotion of being moved in response to mixed emotions compared to individuals scoring low on psychopathy, which does not occur in the case of negative emotions. The results provide preliminary empirical support for the idea that individuals scoring high in the psychopathy scale may experience more challenging emotions in an acutely less profound and personal way than others. This may be a new line of explanation for the emotional superficiality and callousness characteristic of psychopaths, particularly in the social domain. This is also significant and consistent with what Kernberg stated regarding the difficulty of integrating the affects and the resulting personality disorders, especially psychopathy as the most socially harmful personality. Nevertheless, this study some limitations especially in the form of a small sample by which the interpretation of these results should be considered with caution.
How to cite this paper:
Bolek E, Trzebińska E, & Braniecka A (2025). Unemotional psychopathy? What part of the emotional self-reported experience is missing in individuals scoring high, medium and low in psychopathy. International Journal of Psychology & Psychological Therapy, 25, 2, 167-181.
Key words:
psychopathy, meta-emotions, mixed emotions
Full Article
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