Response Modulation in psychopathy: AttentionalModulation of Emotional Processing. (FWOTM684)

Deviant emotional processing, such as impaired emotional responsiveness, is considered as a core feature of psychopathy1. Recently, the Response Modulation Theory (RMT) stated that this deficient emotional reactivity is caused by an attentional deficit2. When attention is focused on affective information, psychopathic individuals are able to respond adequately to emotional cues. However, they do not react adequately to emotional stimuli outside their attentional focus2. Until now, the empirical evidence for this account is limited. Therefore, the current project aims to investigate the specific circumstances in which emotional information fails to capture the attention. First, we will consolidate and extend the RMT predictions using an adapted picture-viewing and priming paradigm, adjusted to allow us to manipulate both the direction of attention and the emotional valence of the information. Second, we aim to identify the exact influence of reward and punishment on attentional and emotional processing. Third, we examine whether the nature of the emotional stimuli (e.g. threat to self or other) is crucial in the relation between attentional focus and emotional reactivity. In our project we use a multi-method approach, by recording behavioral and psychophysiological responses to measure emotional processing. In this way, we will contribute to important theoretical and clinical issues concerning emotional processing in incarcerated and non-incarcerated psychopathic individuals.

Keywords:psychology, cognitive sciences, psychopathology

Disciplines:Psychology and cognitive sciences