Externalizing behavior and psychopathy: A social relations analysis

Abstract

Most conceptualizations of psychopathy emphasize its interpersonal consequences, yet most research on psychopathy has been conducted at the individual level. In small groups, well-acquainted members of sororities and fraternities (N = 111) rated one another and themselves on a variety of externalizing behaviors (e.g., cheating, risky sex), and completed a selfreport measure of psychopathy. There was consensus about the extent to which members of the groups engaged in these behaviors. The associations between these target effects and respondents’ self-reports suggest that these consensual judgments were reasonably accurate. Individuals who reported higher levels of psychopathic personality traits were seen as more likely to engage in externalizing behaviors, with self-centered impulsivity most strongly associated with these behaviors. Although fearless dominance was unrelated to self-reported externalizing behaviors, it was related to peers’ ratings of marijuana use, academic dishonesty, and future legal troubles, suggesting that individuals high in fearless dominance may underreport their problem behaviors.