Evidence from this program of research demonstrates that psychopaths' failure to profit from punishment and relative inability to inhibit inappropriate behavior are most apparent when they are pursuing a goal of immediate motivational significance. Based on recent neuropsychological models of psychopathy (1, 2), we proposed that availability of reward engenders a motivational state termed """"""""behavioral activation"""""""" that potentiates psychopaths' response modulation deficit. The proposed research is designed (1) to address the validity of this hypothesis using both behavioral and psychophysiological measures of the construct; and (2) to explore the means by which behavioral activation contributes to psychopaths' maladaptive response style. We propose to compare the performance of incarcerated psychopaths and controls using five different experimental paradigms. Each paradigm was selected or developed for its ability to elucidate the diverse means by which behavioral activation may contribute to psychopaths' response modulation deficit. Results will clarify the nature of the psychopathic deficit, establish a basis for the early identification and modification of this maladaptive response style, and elucidate the implications of recent neuropsychological models of anxiety and impulsivity for diverse forms of psychopathology involving deficient self-regulation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH037711-08
Application #
3376305
Study Section
Psychopathology and Clinical Biology Research Review Committee (PCB)
Project Start
1983-09-01
Project End
1992-05-31
Budget Start
1990-09-01
Budget End
1992-05-31
Support Year
8
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Arnett, P A; Smith, S S; Newman, J P (1997) Approach and avoidance motivation in psychopathic criminal offenders during passive avoidance. J Pers Soc Psychol 72:1413-28
Howland, E W; Kosson, D S; Patterson, C M et al. (1993) Altering a dominant response: performance of psychopaths and low-socialization college students on a cued reaction time task. J Abnorm Psychol 102:379-87
Patterson, C M; Newman, J P (1993) Reflectivity and learning from aversive events: toward a psychological mechanism for the syndromes of disinhibition. Psychol Rev 100:716-36
Newman, J P; Wallace, J F; Strauman, T J et al. (1993) Effects of motivationally significant stimuli on the regulation of dominant responses. J Pers Soc Psychol 65:165-75
Newman, J P; Kosson, D S; Patterson, C M (1992) Delay of gratification in psychopathic and nonpsychopathic offenders. J Abnorm Psychol 101:630-6
Bachorowski, J A; Newman, J P (1990) Impulsive motor behavior: effects of personality and goal salience. J Pers Soc Psychol 58:512-8
Smith, S S; Newman, J P (1990) Alcohol and drug abuse-dependence disorders in psychopathic and nonpsychopathic criminal offenders. J Abnorm Psychol 99:430-9
Newman, J P; Patterson, C M; Kosson, D S (1987) Response perseveration in psychopaths. J Abnorm Psychol 96:145-8
Patterson, C M; Kosson, D S; Newman, J P (1987) Reaction to punishment, reflectivity, and passive avoidance learning in extraverts. J Pers Soc Psychol 52:565-75
Kosson, D S; Newman, J P (1986) Psychopathy and the allocation of attentional capacity in a divided-attention situation. J Abnorm Psychol 95:257-63

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