Psychopathy and risk taking: Examining the role of risk perception

Our work tested associations among psychopathy, risk perception, and risk-taking in multiple contexts using the four-factor model of psychopathy and the Risk-Return Framework of Risky Choice. Study 1 examined direct associations between the four psychopathy factors (i.e., callous affect, interpersonal manipulation, erratic lifestyle, and antisocial behavior) and ethical, financial, health/safety, recreational, and social risk-taking in a sample of undergraduate students. Results showed that erratic lifestyle psychopathy traits (i.e., impulsivity, irresponsibility, and sensation seeking) were linked with risk-taking behavior in all domains. Psychopathic traits were most consistently associated with risk-taking within the ethical domain. Study 2 replicated and extended Study 1 by addressing the role of risk perception in the link between psychopathy and risk-taking. Results concerning direct associations between psychopathy and risk-taking generally mirrored those found in Study 1. Callous affect and interpersonal manipulation were indirectly associated with greater ethical risk-taking via lower risk perception. Erratic lifestyle was indirectly associated with greater health/safety and recreational risk-taking via lower risk perception. Overall, risk perception appears to be one explanatory pathway linking psychopathic traits to engagement in risk-related behavior. Results are discussed in relation to the Dual Pathway and Triarchic models of psychopathy.