Theory of Mind in the psychopath
- 1 May 1996
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Journal of Forensic Psychiatry
- Vol. 7 (1), 15-25
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09585189608409914
Abstract
This paper investigates the Theory of Mind ability of psychopaths. Happé's (1994) advanced test of Theory of Mind was presented to 25 psychopaths and 25 non-psychopathic incarcerated controls. The psychopaths and the non-psychopathic controls did not differ in their performance on this task. However, the psychopaths were performing significantly better than Happé's most highly able adult autistic population. It was therefore concluded that the psychopath does not have a Theory of Mind deficit. Speculations are made about the different developmental pathways of autism and psychopathy and the differences in the empathy deficit present in both these disorders.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- A cognitive developmental approach to morality: investigating the psychopathCognition, 1995
- Responses to the Negative Emotions of Others by Autistic, Mentally Retarded, and Normal ChildrenChild Development, 1992
- The Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 1991Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1992
- Exploration of the Autistic Child's Theory of Mind: Knowledge, Belief, and CommunicationChild Development, 1989
- Does the autistic child have a “theory of mind” ?Cognition, 1985
- Beliefs about beliefs: Representation and constraining function of wrong beliefs in young children's understanding of deceptionCognition, 1983
- An Empirical Classification of Female OffendersCorrectional Psychologist, 1978
- Autonomic responses to modeled distress in prison psychopaths.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976
- Vicarious conditioning and sociopathy.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1970
- The role-taking hypothesis in delinquency.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1957