NCJ Number
86702
Journal
Personality and Individual Differences Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (1981) Pages: 37-46
Date Published
1981
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Electrodermal indices relevant to Eysenck's (1970) theory of criminology and subsequent modifications of this theory were compared in both a prison sample selected for 'good' home backgrounds and a student sample.
Abstract
A previously developed differential electrodermal conditioning paradigm of social learning was administered to both samples. Selected prisoners displayed significantly less evidence of differential responding throughout the extinction phase, significantly longer half time recovery, and significantly less stimulus-specific responding in extinction. Spontaneous fluctuations did not differentiate the samples. The paper discusses results with reference to personality measures taken concurrently. It suggests that significant differences between the samples are comparable to previously reported differences between primary psychopaths and nonpsychopaths. Study data and 43 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)