The prefrontal cortex (PFC) exhibits a key role in the working memory and has an established link to the executive functions of cognition and behaviour. Impulsive behaviour is displayed in patients that suffer lesions to the PFC, as one of the important functions is that of inhibition. Therefore there is evidence to suggest that dysfunction to the PFC leads to anti-social behaviour, which is characterised by actions which cause harm to others or disturb the environment. As the PFC is crucial for the development of moral judgement, it is thought that damage to the frontal lobes in the developmental stages (during childhood) may result in adaptive deficits which continue through to adulthood (Eslinger, Flaherty-Craig & Benton, 2004). There is …show more content…
Patients with developmental-onset lesions to the vmPFC were subject to more self-centred judgements that imposed harm on others and so “a deficit in such learning is associated with poor socialisation and criminal behaviour” (Taber-Thomas et al, 2014, p1254). Thus confirming that damage to the PFC during the stages of development incites anti-social …show more content…
This is characterised by anti-social behaviour, impulsivity and lack of concern, empathy and guilt in regard of the likes of others (Hare, 1995). The amygdala, implicated in learning the emotional value of stimuli, and the vmPFC are implicated in morality and when dysfunctional, it results in psychopathy. In regards to psychopathy, Blair (2007) explains that dysfunction in these areas means that ethical decision making is undermined and anti-social behaviour is used for the advancement of one’s goals. Further support for link between PFC dysfunction and psychopathy comes from LaPierre, Braun and Hodgins (1995) who found that compared with non-psychopathic criminals, psychopathic criminals displayed noteworthy deficits on tests explicitly used to assess medial and orbital functioning. There is evidence for the frequency of aggression as Foster, Hillbrand and Silverstein (1993) found that psychiatric patients that had committed a violent crime scored poorly on tests of executive function in the frontal lobes predicted how often patients were aggressive. The orbitofrontal cortex mediates facial recognition and expression of emotions which is stimulated when changing facial expressions indicate a signal for a change in behaviour (Uekermann.& Daum, 2008). This is supported by evidence concerning human lesion impairments when recognising emotional facial
People with damaged amygdala’s may be blind to emotion and are unable to read understand other people’s emotional expressions. Basic facial expressions appear fairly universal such as, angry, sad, happy, scheming, and neutral. In other cultures, around the world, different emotions are more or less
Individuals who score high of the PCL-R have limited range of depth feelings, meaning that psychopaths usually do not feel depressed. In fact, individuals who had suicidal tendencies tend to score lower in the “shallow affect” symptom. On the hand, PCL-R Factor 2 focused on the antisocial factor which indicates whether the individual has violated norms or laws. Some symptoms include early behavioral problems, lack of realistic goals, irresponsible, juvenile delinquency, early behavioral problems, etc. Dixon Jr may have scored higher in Factor 2 due to his juvenile delinquency record and his aggression towards the inmates during the beginning of his sentencing.
According to the article Psychopathy: A Misunderstood Disorder, published in Science Daily, we don’t really know much about psychopathy at all! Instead of it being one disorder, it is actually many, that together form psychopathy, thus the countless studies that contradict each other. Lead author Jennifer Skeem, along with colleagues Devon Polaschek, Christopher Patrick and Scott Lilienfeld say that the seemingly small differences in psychopaths are often overlooked by policy-makers, when the differences can actually develop into serious problems down the road. Skeem wants to clarify the common misconception about how one becomes a psychopaths, if they are born that way or made that way, the common “nature v. nurture” dilemma. Research suggests
A lot of information given in the press release differs from what is written in the original journal. There is a discrepancy between the sample size given in the press release and what appears in the original journal. The press release gives a sample size of 55 convicted murderers, 15 of whom were psychopaths while the original journal gives 52 inmates, 14 of them being psychopaths. The journal in which the original article was published is also misrepresented in the press release. Instead of giving the journal as the journal of Legal and Criminological Psychology the press release gives it as the Journal of Criminological Psychology.
Raine et al (2000) conducted an experiment using 21 participants with antisocial personality disorder (APD) and high psychopathy scores. An 11% reduction in the volume of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex was found in the APD group, compared to the normal control group. This implies the volume reduction of the PFC- although subtle, is significant as it can lead to antisocial behaviours. Furthermore, during a social stressor task in which participants had to prepare and give a speech about their own personal faults the ADP group showed a lower autonomic activity. Damasio (2000) believes this task is thought to provoke secondary emotions such as embarrassment and shame, which the ventromedial PFC is thought to mediate (as cited in Raine and Adrian, 2002).
Before the psychology of an evil person can be dissected, an antisocial personality
More times than not, children tend to have a severe imbalance in their ANS, because of early attachment issues and/or trauma. They may feel that their bodies and emotions are out of their control. Javier was likely met with irresistible situations, and was left without comfort by his caregivers. Because of this, Javier may have rarely felt safe enough. Since infants require an extended period of care and protection, they are birthed with behaviors that assist them in maintaining closeness to others who are capable of assisting them with regulating distress, first attachment figure.
Amygdala is the fourth part and is the emotional triggering mechanism of the brain. “Researchers believe that it encodes an emotional message, if one is present, whenever a memory is tagged for long-term storage” (Sousa, 2011). The Cerebrum is the soft covering of the brain and contains wiring for higher order thinking process and the Cerebellum coordinates all movements and balance. By understanding the exterior and interior parts of the brain, we can see how information is processed from one place to another. I have personally learned that the frontal lobe, pre-frontal cortex, and amygdala play a huge real on students’ higher order thinking skills and their emotions, which can easily affect them in my
(p.11), to consolidate criticism. The definition of sociopathy, bases on, “Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture.” (McAfee, 2003). Also encompassing behaviors such as their manipulative nature, lack of participation in illicit matters, reduced or no emotions attached to actions, recurring guilt, promiscuity, and parasitic conducts, develop an understanding of the character. (Valverde, G., 2017).
Antisocial Personality Disorder is characterized by a pattern of blameless behaviors, social recklessness, and demoralization. The symptomology of Antisocial Personality Disorder include failure to obey the law, utilizing others for personal gain, inability to formulate interpersonal relationships and deceiving other (Black, 2015). Furthermore, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM- 5) diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder as someone who has a persistent patterns of disregard and the abuse of the rights of other people. It occurs since 15 years of age (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Meaning that the individual has had a history of these behaviors.
Treatment and interventions for antisocial behavior are limited to treatments that target overall behavioral improvement. This paper will discuss the potential improvements in interventions for individuals with antisocial behavior, through the help of neurological understandings of the brain. Neurological understandings of the brain can help develop interventions that can improve behavior among the youth for better behavioral outcomes in adulthood. Current interventions give the tools for individuals to learn from presenting behavioral problems, but they do not address the core of the problem in identifying the mechanisms behind impaired responses for future contingencies. Also, neurological understandings can help with the development of
This uncertainty is reflected in its absence from the diagnostic nomenclature/terminology DSM-IV and DSM-V. The clinical concept of psychopathy was included in early versions of APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but is now incorporated to the diagnostic manuals under D/APD (WHO, 1994, and APA, 1994, respectively). Because of a multidisciplinary approach, researchers have yet to agree on a concept that is vernacular. Forensic mental health is inclusive in its purpose it is difficult to develop a consensus on fundamental, this consensus being a hallmark at science (Duggan,
A child may be affected because of genetics, but childhood traumas and lack of personal connections with other people can bring these psychopathic behaviors out. Psychologists try to treat children with psychopathic traits and behaviors by helping them connect with friends and family members. Forming bonds with people close to them can form a long-lasting effect on the way they behave in the future. Psychopathic traits from childhood carry through to the child being an adolescent.