2023-04-20 15:59:39
Is it possible to determine from a certain characteristic whether one’s own child exhibits the behavior of a psychopath?
Have you ever observed whether your offspring laughs with their friends?
Researchers at University College London have now shown that boys who don’t feel the urge to laugh when their friends, classmates, etc. do it are more likely to do so later psychopaths become. For the study, 92 boys between the ages of eleven and sixteen were examined.
The study was published in the journal “Current Biology” published.
What is Psychopathy?
How “netDoctor” explains, psychopathy is a severe personality disorder or an extreme form of dissocial personality disorder. Psychopaths are particularly good at manipulating or acting on others without feeling remorse. Those affected “lie, cheat and skilfully exploit their fellow human beings”. In addition, they have a high willingness to take risks and are increasingly behaving irresponsibly.
Other symptoms, according to Canadian criminal psychologist Robert Hare, include:
- an inflated sense of self
- lack of empathy
- impulsiveness
- penchant for criminal activities
- early behavioral problems, etc.
Subjects had to analyze laughter
About two-thirds of the young participants were diagnosed with disruptive behaviors or callous and emotionless traits (CU). According to the experts, these characteristics have already been associated with an increased risk of psychopathy in previous studies.
The scientists used brain scans to examine the brain activity of the boys. They listened to recordings of mock and real laughter interspersed with tears. Meanwhile, the subjects had to use a scale to rate whether they thought the laughter they were playing was real. They should also document how laughter affects their emotional state.
When the boys had both risk factors for psychopathy, they increasingly reported that they had no urge to laugh with others. This statement was also confirmed by the activities in the brains of those affected: the scans showed reduced activity in the regions associated with emotional thinking.
According to study author Essi Viding, it is not appropriate to “label children as psychopaths”, since the personality disorder mainly occurs in adulthood. Nevertheless, the first signs can be recognized at a young age. According to the expert, future research could analyze whether laughter, words of encouragement, or declarations of love in people who are at increased risk of psychopathy also evoke a weak emotional response.
“The social signals that automatically bring us joy or alert us to someone else’s plight are not perceived in the same way by these children,” she explained in one press release further. “This does not mean that these children are destined to become antisocial or dangerous, rather these findings shed new light on why they often make different choices than their peers.”
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