Psychopathic traits predict moral judgements in five moral domains: The mediating effect of unpleasantness

Abstract

Purpose The relationship between psychopathic traits and moral judgements has evoked passionate debates among researchers. Psychopathic traits have been characterized as risk factors for immoral behaviours in both non‐forensic and forensic populations; however, whether individuals with elevated psychopathic traits display atypical moral judgements has been controversial. Here, we aim to examine how psychopathic traits are related to moral judgements in five moral foundations (Care, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, and Sanctity) and further explore how unpleasantness mediates the relationship in non‐forensic and forensic samples. Methods Two hundred and twenty five college students and 219 detainees were recruited in two separate surveys. All the participants were asked to complete the moral judgement task in everyday moral scenarios, the unpleasantness ratings for the immoral behaviours and the Levenson Self‐Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP). Results Psychopathic traits predicted the binary moral distinction (moral vs. immoral category) in the Care foundation in the non‐forensic sample. Moreover, psychopathic traits predicted moral acceptability ratings (continuous category) in all of the moral foundations in the non‐forensic sample but only for the Care and Loyalty foundations in the forensic sample. Finally, unpleasantness fully mediated the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral judgements in both samples. Conclusions Our findings provide further evidence that individuals with elevated psychopathic traits have atypical moral judgements – emphasizing the role of unpleasantness in contributing to this phenomenon. Our study has implications for understanding and treating various deviant behaviours in psychopathic individuals.

Altered effective connectivity from the posterior insula to the amygdala mediates the relationship between psychopathic traits and concern with the Harm foundation

“…Furthermore, we found that the EC from the posterior insula to the amygdala partially mediated the relationship between psychopathic traits and the concern with the Harm foundation. In conjunction with previous behavioral findings that emotion responses serve as a mediator in the relationship between psychopathic traits and morality (Glenn et al, 2009; Patil, 2015; Ye et al, 2021), the results here suggested that weakened capacity to integrate bodily-state information to emotional responses in individuals with elevated psychopathic traits in response to moral contexts accounts for their emotional shallowness, which partially contributes their atypical moral cognition. Importantly, the significant relationship between psychopathic traits and morality as well as the mediating role of the posterior insula-to-amygdala connectivity in the relationship was only observed in T-PTS and P-PTS, but not S-PTS.…”

“…In other words, those brain areas supporting emotional function might exert atypical influence on other brain regions during moral cognition for individuals with elevated psychopathic traits. Additionally, We expected our findings to be more pronounced for primary psychopathy than secondary psychopathy as recently we found psychopathic traits are correlated with moral judgments merely in primary psychopathy (Ye et al, 2021).…”

“…Individuals scoring higher in psychopathic traits are significantly less likely to endorse the Harm and Fairness foundations in the community (Glenn et al, 2009a) and forensic samples (Aharoni et al, 2011). Furthermore, emotion may serve as a mediator in the relationship between psychopathic traits and morality (Glenn et al, 2009a; Patil, 2015; Ye et al, 2021). For example, a lower level of empathic concern predicts less endorsement for preventing harm and unfairness in individuals with elevated psychopathic traits (Glenn et al, 2009a).…”

“…For example, a lower level of empathic concern predicts less endorsement for preventing harm and unfairness in individuals with elevated psychopathic traits (Glenn et al, 2009a). Our recent study showed that unpleasantness plays a mediating role in psychopathic traits and moral judgment especially for the Harm and Fairness foundations (Ye et al, 2021). However, few studies have yet directly examined the underlying neural substrates of the relationship between psychopathic traits and concern with the moral foundations.…”

“…We focused on brain regions that have been proved to be significantly associated with psychopathic traits in a recent meta-analysis including the amygdala, dmPFC, PCC, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), OFC, and hippocampus (Deming & Koenigs, 2020). Given the essential role of emotion in the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral cognition (Glenn et al, 2009a; Patil, 2015; Ye et al, 2021), we expected that the EC from brain regions that are particularly related to emotional function (e.g., amygdala) to other brain regions might mediate the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral foundations, especially for the Harm and Fairness foundations. In other words, those brain areas supporting emotional function might exert atypical influence on other brain regions during moral cognition for individuals with elevated psychopathic traits.…”