Understanding the interplay between empathy and aggression across the psychopathy spectrum

Psychopathy, traditionally viewed as a categorical construct, is now increasingly recognised as a spectrum encompassing varying degrees of affective and interpersonal deficits that may contribute to antisocial behaviours like aggression. Building on this perspective, the present thesis investigates how subclinical expressions of psychopathic traits – in particular callous-unemotional traits – relate to empathic responsiveness and aggression proneness in non-clinical, community-based samples. Findings reveal that even at subclinical levels, callous-unemotional traits are linked to reduced affective empathy and more calculated, premeditated aggression, likely driven by disruptions in affective processing. These associations were similarly observed at the neural level, with participants reporting more callous-unemotional traits also exhibiting lower electrophysiological responses to the perception of others’ pain. Notably, the study also identifies preliminary evidence that affective states linked to the expression of callous-unemotional traits could be modulated via non-invasive brain stimulation, offering a potential avenue for intervention. Overall, this research supports a dimensional understanding of psychopathy, suggesting that even mild or subclinical manifestations of psychopathic traits can be associated with deficits in the empathic response, and that such deficits may be detectable and modifiable at the neural level. These findings underscore the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach in understanding – and potentially mitigating – the risks of psychopathy.