Phenotypic and aetiological associations between psychopathic tendencies, autistic traits, and emotion attribution
Jones, A.P. and Larsson, H. and Ronald, Angelica and Rijsdijk, F. and Busfield, P. and Mcmillan, A. and Plomin, R. and Viding, E. (2009) Phenotypic and aetiological associations between psychopathic tendencies, autistic traits, and emotion attribution. Criminal Justice and Behavior 36 (11), pp. 1198-1212. ISSN 0093-8548.
Abstract
Some behavioural overlap exists between psychopathic tendencies and autistic traits, and both phenotypes are thought to be associated with problems in empathy. However, the broad behavioural profiles and the cognitive-affective deficits associated with the two conditions are at least partly separable. The main aim of this study was to assess the extent to which the aetiology of psychopathic tendencies is independent of autistic traits. A secondary aim was to study the aetiology of emotion attribution ability and its association with psychopathic tendencies and autistic traits. Based on data from a sample of 642 twin pairs, the genetic and nonshared environmental influences related to psychopathic tendencies were largely unique to each phenotype. Common environmental influences between psychopathic tendencies and autistic traits overlapped. Poorer emotion attribution ability was associated with increased psychopathic tendencies and autistic traits, and these associations were mainly explained by common genetic factors.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Keyword(s) / Subject(s): | psychopathy, autism, empathy, twins, genetics |
School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences |
Research Centres and Institutes: | Brain and Cognitive Development, Centre for (CBCD) |
Depositing User: | Administrator |
Date Deposited: | 17 Dec 2010 15:53 |
Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 16:53 |
URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/2552 |
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