Boldness psychopathic traits predict reduced gaze toward fearful eyes in men with a history of violence

Steven M. Gillespie; Pia Rotshtein; Anthony R. Beech; Ian J. Mitchell

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.07.003

Boldness psychopathic traits predict reduced gaze toward fearful eyes in men with a history of violence

Steven M. Gillespie, Pia Rotshtein, Anthony R. Beech, Ian J. Mitchell

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Research with developmental and adult samples has shown a relationship of psychopathic traits with reduced eye gaze. However, these relationships remained to be investigated among forensic samples. Here we examined the eye movements of male violent offenders during an emotion recognition task. Violent offenders performed similar to non-offending controls, and their eye movements varied with the emotion and intensity of the facial expression. In the violent offender group Boldness psychopathic traits, but not Meanness or Disinhibition, were associated with reduced dwell time and fixation counts, and slower first fixation latencies, on the eyes compared with the mouth. These results are the first to show a relationship of psychopathic traits with reduced attention to the eyes in a forensic sample, and suggest that Boldness is associated with difficulties in orienting attention toward emotionally salient aspects of the face.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	29-38
Number of pages	10
Journal	Biological Psychology
Volume	128
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.07.003
State	Published - Sep 2017
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was funded by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) [ES/L002337/1]. The funder had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. The authors would like to thank the staff and men of HMP Grendon for allowing the research to take place.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s)

Keywords

Boldness
Emotion
Expression
Eye gaze
Eye scan paths
Fear
Psychopathy
Triarchic

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuroscience (all)
Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.07.003

Cite this

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title = "Boldness psychopathic traits predict reduced gaze toward fearful eyes in men with a history of violence",

abstract = "Research with developmental and adult samples has shown a relationship of psychopathic traits with reduced eye gaze. However, these relationships remained to be investigated among forensic samples. Here we examined the eye movements of male violent offenders during an emotion recognition task. Violent offenders performed similar to non-offending controls, and their eye movements varied with the emotion and intensity of the facial expression. In the violent offender group Boldness psychopathic traits, but not Meanness or Disinhibition, were associated with reduced dwell time and fixation counts, and slower first fixation latencies, on the eyes compared with the mouth. These results are the first to show a relationship of psychopathic traits with reduced attention to the eyes in a forensic sample, and suggest that Boldness is associated with difficulties in orienting attention toward emotionally salient aspects of the face.",

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author = "Gillespie, {Steven M.} and Pia Rotshtein and Beech, {Anthony R.} and Mitchell, {Ian J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was funded by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) [ES/L002337/1]. The funder had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. The authors would like to thank the staff and men of HMP Grendon for allowing the research to take place. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Author(s)",

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AU - Beech, Anthony R.

AU - Mitchell, Ian J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was funded by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) [ES/L002337/1]. The funder had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. The authors would like to thank the staff and men of HMP Grendon for allowing the research to take place. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 The Author(s)

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KW - Eye scan paths

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KW - Triarchic

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Boldness psychopathic traits predict reduced gaze toward fearful eyes in men with a history of violence

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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