Psychopathic traits and their relation to facial affect recognition

- Psychopathic traits were investigated in a sample of undergraduate men.
- Synthetic characters displaying dynamic emotions were used to measure FAR.
- Callous affect predicted better identification of emotions (total, 40%, 60%).
- Antisocial behaviors were associated with overall difficulty identifying emotions.
- Facets of psychopathy differentially influence the ability to recognize emotions.

The limited set of studies available on facial affect recognition in psychopathic individuals not only differ in their findings but also reveal that the stimuli used to portray emotions have little ecological validity. The present study looks at the relationship between the degree of psychopathic traits and emotion recognition in a sample of undergraduate men, using dynamic representations of emotions. Results suggest that high levels of antisocial behaviors are associated with poorer performance and a specific impairment in the recognition of sadness. In contrast, callous affect is positively correlated with identifying sadness expressions and predicts a heightened sensitivity to facial affect. The ability to recognize signs of vulnerability can be seen as an adaptive strategy developed by psychopathic individuals to manipulate others. Mechanisms underlying criminal behavior appear to be associated with deficits in emotional processing. The study highlights the influence of distinct facets of psychopathy in facial affect recognition.