Psychopaths revealed via smell test

Psychopathic tendencies appear to be associated with an impaired sense of smell, say Australian scientists who believe inefficient processing in the front part of the brain is to blame. Details of the experiments, conducted by Mehmet Mahmut and Richard Stevenson, from Macquarie University, appear in the journal Chemosensory Perception.

Past studies have shown that people with psychopathic traits have impaired functioning in the front part of the brain – the area responsible for planning, impulse control and acting in accordance with social norms. Dysfunction in the front part of the brain has also been linked to an impaired sense of smell.

Mahmut and Stevenson decided to investigate whether a poor sense of smell was linked to higher levels of psychopathic tendencies. Their investigation assessed manipulation, callousness, erratic lifestyles, and criminal tendencies among 79 non-criminal adults living in the community. They first assessed the participants’ olfactory ability and then measured the subjects’ levels of psychopathy. They also noted how much or how little subjects emphasized with other people’s feelings.

The researchers found that those individuals who scored highly on psychopathic traits were more likely to struggle to both identify smells and tell the difference between smells. These results, says Mahmut, show that the brain areas controlling olfactory processes are less efficient in individuals with psychopathic tendencies.

The researchers think the findings might form the basis for clinical tests. “Olfactory measures represent a potentially interesting marker for psychopathic traits, because performance expectancies are unclear in odor tests and may therefore be less susceptible to attempts to fake good or bad responses,” they note.

Related:
Discuss this article in our forum
Software identifies psychopaths
Software detects lies by analyzing eye movements
How to spot Internet dating liars

Source: Chemosensory Perception

, ,

Comments are closed.

Crossed Psychopath 5 Comic Lot 1-4 & 7 (4 Is Wrap Variant) picture

Crossed Psychopath 5 Comic Lot 1-4 & 7 (4 Is Wrap Variant)

$30.00



Crossed : Psychopath # 2 Limited to 850 Philadelphia Variant Cover    VF+ picture

Crossed : Psychopath # 2 Limited to 850 Philadelphia Variant Cover VF+

$3.99



Crossed Psychopath #1-7 Set Avatar Press (CR02) picture

Crossed Psychopath #1-7 Set Avatar Press (CR02)

$69.99



CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #2 WRAP (AVATAR 2011) picture

CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #2 WRAP (AVATAR 2011)

$2.90



Crossed Psychopath #5 g | NM/M Ltd to 850 | Shark Attack Variant | 2011 Avatar picture

Crossed Psychopath #5 g | NM/M Ltd to 850 | Shark Attack Variant | 2011 Avatar

$39.95



Crossed Psychopath #4 Wrap Around Avatar Comics NM 2011 picture

Crossed Psychopath #4 Wrap Around Avatar Comics NM 2011

$7.04



Crossed Psychopath #1 (2011) VF/NM picture

Crossed Psychopath #1 (2011) VF/NM

$3.99



Crossed Psychopath #6 A | NM 1st Print | 👀 Pics ⬇️ | 2011 Avatar | David Lapham picture

Crossed Psychopath #6 A | NM 1st Print | 👀 Pics ⬇️ | 2011 Avatar | David Lapham

$4.95



RARE HTF Seven Psychopaths Movie Plush Stuffed Animal Bonny Shih Tzu dog picture

RARE HTF Seven Psychopaths Movie Plush Stuffed Animal Bonny Shih Tzu dog

$75.00



psychopath original picture picture

psychopath original picture

$82.06



Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes