Study published in August 2007 issue of The Journal of Abnormal Psychology indicates that some traits correlating to adult psychopathy may be present as early as age 3.

A twenty-five year study, published this month in The Journal of Abnormal Psychology, demonstrates that, as early as the age of three, there are temperamental and physiological difference between those who show psychopathic tendencies as adults and those who don't.

What Is a Psychopath?

Psychopathy, also known as Antisocial Personality (APD or ASPD), is a psychological personality disorder. Not only do psychopaths lack emotions of conscience and empathy, but research has shown that these individuals consistently display certain aspects of temperament including a lack of fear, lack of inhibition and stimulus seeking behavior. Psychopathic adults have also demonstrated physiological idiosyncrasies, such as a reduced physical response to negative stimuli, and indifference to the threat of pain and punishment (Hare 1999).

Traits Predictive of Psychopathy

The Journal of Abnormal Psychology (Glen 2007) recently published the first long-term study to examine very young children for traits predictive of adult psychopathy. The team of researchers hypothesized that psychopathic adults would, as young children, be expected to show less fear and inhibition and more stimulus seeking/sociable behavior than adults who did not develop psychopathy. The researchers also predicted that, since adult psychopaths show reduced sensitivity to negative stimuli, this response would also be apparent at an early age.

Psychopathy Assessment of Children

Between 1972 and 1973, 1,795 three-year-olds, from the island of Mauritius, were enrolled in the study, and each observed and rated on several variables related to inhibited/disinhibited temperament, stimulation seeking/sociability and fearfulness/reactivity. Physiological reaction to stimuli was also assessed by monitoring skin conductivity (SC) in response to both neutral and aversive noise.

Skin conductivity startle response is a well studied physiological reaction caused by sympathetic nervous system activation. This response corresponds to measures of emotion, arousal, and attention. In this study, skin conductivity was painlessly measured, with leads on the first and second fingers of the left hand.

Psychopathy Assessment of Adults

Twenty-five years later, the researchers were able to complete follow-up assessments on 335 of the adults who had been originally evaluated as children. The subjects were tested for psychopathic traits using the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP-II), a 60 item modified version of Dr. Robert Hare's Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R).

Born to Be Psychopaths?

The investigators found that adults with higher psychopathy scores had marked differences as 3 year olds, being significantly less fearful/inhibited and more stimulus seeking/sociable than those adults who had lower psychopathy scores. With respect to physiologic response, the group with higher SRP-II scores had significantly reduced sensitivity to negative auditory stimuli as toddlers.

Fear and Morality

Kochanska (1993) has suggested that the normal fearfulness most children experience contributes to development of moral emotions like guilt, empathy and shame. Children who are more fearful are prone to remorse after doing wrong and are more concerned about the consequences of their behavior; a concern that typically deters them from future wrongdoings. The results of this study suggest that children with a low level of fearfulness may be more likely to develop antisocial personality as adults.

Sociability and Psychopathy

Sociability and seeking stimulation are traits often associated with the glibness, charm and manipulation shown by adult psychopaths, and this study did indicate that individuals testing psychopathic as adults had higher stimulus/seeking and sociability scores as three year olds.

Negative Stimuli and Psychopathic Traits

Lastly, the physiological reaction of longer skin conductivity recovery time, in response to negative stimuli, has been linked to impairment in a person's inclination to avoid harm or physical danger. This reduced sensitivity to negative stimuli is characteristic of adult psychopaths, and, in this study, was significantly more pronounced in the 3 year olds who developed psychopathic traits as adults (Glenn 2007).

Additional Research on Inheritance of Psychopathy

A study of twins, published in June 2005 issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, revealed that anti-social behaviour is strongly inherited in children with psychopathic tendencies such as callousness and reduced emotional capacity.

Additional Psychopathy Resources

Glenn, A. L. et al (2007) Early Temperamental and Psychophysiological Precursors of Adult Psychopathic Personality. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 116.

Hare, R.D. (1999) Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us. Guiford Press.

Hare, R. D. (1985) Comparison of procedures for the assessment of psychopathy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 53, 7.

Kochanska, G. (1993) Towards a synthesis of parental socialization and child temperament in early development of conscience. Child Development, 64.