Abstract

HAUCK FILHO, NELSON; PEREIRA TEIXEIRA, MARCO ANTONIO  and  GARCIA DIAS, ANA CRISTINA. Psychopathy: A dimensional and noncriminal approach of the construct. Av. Psicol. Latinoam. [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.2, pp.317-327. ISSN 1794-4724.

The history of psychopathy is remarkably tied to antisocial behavior, as shown by Latin American studies in the area predominantly investigating psychopathy in the context of correctional facilities. However, recent findings are sugesting that antisocial behavior, due to its nonspecificity, should not be considered a core feature of the psychopathy construct, making it possible to study psychopathy in the general population. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to revise the literature regarding psychopathy, focusing on studies that favour a dimensional and noncriminal view of the construct. Relationships with antisocial behavior, results from taxometric studies, associations with narcissism and machiavellianism, and with the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory are reviewed. Finally, we highlight the need of further empirical research on psychopathy in non-forensic contexts in Latin America and the need of adaptation and construction of psychometric measures suitable for this purpose.

Keywords : psychopathy; individual differences; antisocial behavior; antisocial personality disorder.

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