AUTONOMIC REACTIVITY TO SENSORY STIMULATION IN PSYCHOPATHIC, NEUROTIC, AND NORMAL JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

• NCJ Number: 54505
• Journal: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 35 Issue: 2 Dated: (1970) Pages: 217-222
• Author(s): T D BORKOVEC
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): MIT-07346
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc; University of Iowa
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER BASED ON MASTER'S THESIS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Annotation

THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PSYCHOPATHS SHOW LESS REACTIVITY AND/OR MORE RAPID ADAPTATION TO SENSORY IMPUTS THAN DELINQUENTS, NEUROTICS, AND NORMAL PERSONS.

Abstract

USING A SAMPLE OF 19 PSYCHOPATHIC, 21 NEUROTIC, AND 26 NORMAL JUVENILE DELINQUENTS IDENTIFIED BY A BEHAVIOR CHECKLIST, RESEARCHERS EMPLOYED SKIN CONDUCTANCE TESTS TO ASSESS SUBJECT'S RESPONSES TO 21 SUCCESSIVE TONE STIMULI WHILE SKIN CONDUCTANCE AND HEART RATE WERE MONITORED. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE PSYCHOPATHS GAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER GALVANIC SKIN RESPONSES TO THE INITIAL STIMULUS AND LOWER, THOUGH NOT SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, HEART RATE CHANGES TO POSTSTIMULUS BASAL SKIN CONDUCTANCE INCREASES. SKIN CONDUCTANCE LEVELS DURING REST AND STIMULATION PERIODS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PSYCHOPATHIC AUTONOMIC CHARACTERISTIC RESIDES IN LOWER INITIAL REACTIVITY AND NOT IN MORE RAPID ADAPTATION, AT LEAST IN RESPONSE TO A SIMPLE AUDITORY STIMULUS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)