Associations between ANS activity and psychopathic traits: A
consideration of differences in association across stress task and
psychopathy measures
Abstract
Despite growing evidence that associations between autonomic nervous
system (ANS) responsivity and psychopathic traits vary across stress
tasks only a single study has systematically assessed cross-task
differences in associations. To advance this limited literature the
current study randomized subjects into either a noise blast (countdown)
task or a social stressor speech task. Analyses estimated associations
between ANS (heart rate, skin conductance) and measures of psychopathic
traits (Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III, Inventory of
Callous-Unemotional traits, Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale,
Sensation Seeking Scale – Form V). Results indicated that associations
between ANS activity and psychopathic traits varied across stress task,
ANS measure, and psychopathy measure. Associations that were consistent
across analyses included a negative association between heart rate
reactivity to the countdown task and SRP total scores, and a negative
association between skin conductance reactivity to the social stressor
speech task the interpersonal manipulation scale in the SRP. In
addition, there was a negative association between resting skin
conductance and SSS-V total scores.