29
May 2003
Forensic psychology: Murder in mind
Implicit Association Tests (IATs) are used by psychologists to delve into the gap between the conscious and unconscious mind. They have been used in legal circles to reveal unconscious discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender, age and sexual orientation. One such test has now been adapted to show that psychopathic murderers have abnormal cognitive associations regarding violence, which may underpin their actions. Test results suggest there may be two distinct populations of psychopathic offenders: one with deficient social beliefs (and an increased disposition towards extreme violence), and the other in which such negative beliefs are absent. If this difference can be picked up by the 'violent' IAT test before an offence is committed, this test may become an important tool for identifying psychopaths likely to commit extremely violent offences.
Forensic psychology: Violence viewed by psychopathic
murderers
NICOLA S. GRAY, MALCOLM J. MACCULLOCH
, JENNIFER SMITH, MARK MORRIS & ROBERT J. SNOWDEN
Adapting a revealing
test may expose those psychopaths who are most likely to kill.
Nature
423, 497–498 (2003); doi:10.1038/423497a
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