Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Startle modulation during violent films: Association with callous–unemotional traits and aggressive behavior

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Motivation and Emotion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study examined the unique and interactive associations of callous–unemotional (CU) traits, impulsive and premeditated aggression with startle modulation to violent films. Eighty-five participants (Mage = 20.52) at differential risk of CU traits, selected from a sample of 1105 young adults, participated in the physiological experiment. Startle eye-blink responses to acoustic probes were recorded during violent, comedy and neutral films. Self-report ratings of valence and arousal were also collected. Findings from regression analysis documented that CU traits were associated with diminished startle potentiation to violent films, whereas impulsive aggression was associated with increases in startle potentiation. Further, the negative association between CU traits with startle potentiation, valence, and arousal ratings to violent films was moderated by impulsive aggression. At the group level, individuals high on impulsive aggression without CU traits were the ones showing the highest levels of startle potentiation to violent films, and scored on the opposite extreme compared to individuals high on both CU traits and impulsive aggression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barratt, E. S., Stanford, M. S., Dowdy, L., Liebman, M. J., & Kent, T. A. (1999). Impulsive and premeditated aggression: A factor analysis of self-reported acts. Psychiatry Research, 86, 163–173.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blair, R. J. R., Leibenluft, E., & Pine, D. S. (2014). Conduct disorder and callous–unemotional traits in youth. New England Journal of Medicine, 371, 2207–2216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blumenthal, T. D., Cuthbert, B. N., Filion, D. L., Hackley, S., Lipp, O. V., & Van Boxtel, A. (2005). Committee report: Guidelines for human startle eyeblink electromyographic studies. Psychophysiology, 42, 1–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, M. M., & Lang, P. (1994). Measuring emotion: The self-assessment manikin and the semantic differential. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 25, 49–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byrd, A. L., Kahn, R. E., & Pardini, D. A. (2013). A validation of the inventory of callous–unemotional traits in a community sample of young adult males. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 35, 20–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coccaro, E. F., McCloskey, M. S., Fitzgerald, D. A., & Phan, K. L. (2007). Amygdala and orbitofrontal reactivity to social threat in individuals with impulsive aggression. Biological Psychiatry, 62, 168–178.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 155–159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A. (2013). Individual, social, and behavioral factors associated with co-occurring conduct problems and callous–unemotional traits. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41, 811–824.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A., Frick, P. J., & Georgiou, S. (2009a). Linking callous–unemotional traits to instrumental and non-instrumental forms of aggression. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 31, 285–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A., Panayiotou, G., Lazarou, C., Michael, R. & Georgiou, G. (2015a). The better of two evils? Evidence that children exhibiting continuous conduct problems high or low on callous–unemotional traits score on opposite directions on physiological and behavioral measures of fear. Development and Psychopathology. doi:10.1017/S0954579415000371.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A., Panayiotou, G., Lombardo, M. V., & Kyranides, M. N. (2015b). Unemotional on all counts: Evidence of reduced affective responses in individuals with high callous–unemotional traits across emotion systems and valences. Social Neuroscience. doi:10.1080/17470919.2015.1034378.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A., Vanman, E., Henrich, C. C., & Avraamides, M. N. (2009b). Desensitization to media violence over a short period of time. Aggressive Behavior, 35(2), 179–187.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J. (2004). Inventory of callous–unemotional traits. New Orleans, LA: Unpublished rating scale, University of New Orleans.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Ray, J. V., Thornton, L. C., & Kahn, R. E. (2014). Can callous–unemotional traits enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of serious conduct problems in children and adolescents? A comprehensive review. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fridlund, A. J., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Guidelines for human eletromyographic research. Psychophysiology, 23, 567–589.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grillon, C. (2002). Startle reactivity and anxiety disorders: Aversive conditioning, context, and neurobiology. Biological Psychiatry, 52(10), 958–975.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haden, S. C., Scarpa, A., & Stanford, M. (2008). Validation of the Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scale in college students. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 17, 352–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helfritz, L. E., & Stanford, M. S. (2006). Personality and psychopathology in an impulsive aggressive college sample. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 28–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hicks, B. M., & Patrick, C. J. (2006). Psychopathy and negative emotionality: Analyses of suppressor effects reveal distinct relations with emotional distress, fearfulness, and anger-hostility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 115, 276–287.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holmbeck, G. (2002). Post-hoc probing of significant moderational and mediational effects in studies of pediatric populations. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 27, 87–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Insel, T., Cuthbert, B., Garvey, M. A., Heinssen, R. K., Pine, D. S., Quinn, K. J., et al. (2010). Research domain criteria (RDoC): Toward a new classification framework for research on mental disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 748–751.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jansen, D. M., & Frijda, N. H. (2007). Modulation of the acoustic startle response by film-induced fear and sexual arousal. Psychophysiology, 31, 565–571.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Branch, J., Hagman, B., Graham, N., & Miller, C. (2013a). The psychometric properties of the Inventory of callous–unemotional traits in an undergraduate sample. Psychological Assessment, 25, 84–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Fanti, K. A., Goldweber, A., Marsee, M. A., Frick, P. J., & Cauffman, E. (2013b). Callous–unemotional traits in incarcerated adolescents. Psychological Assessment, 26, 227–237.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Frick, P. J., Fazekas, B. S., & Loney, B. R. (2006). Psychopathy, aggression, and the processing of emotional stimuli in non-referred girls and boys. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 24, 21–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Frick, P. J., Munoz, L. C., & Aucoin, K. J. (2008). Callous–unemotional traits and the emotional processing of distress cues in detained boys. Development and Psychopathology, 20, 569–589.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koukounas, E., & McCabe, M. P. (2001). Emotional responses to filmed violence and the eye blink startle response: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16, 476–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, M. D., Patrick, C. J., Krueger, R. F., & Gasperi, M. (2012). Delineating physiologic defensive reactivity in the domain of self-report: Phenotypic and etiologic structure of dispositional fear. Psychological Medicine, 1, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, P. J., Bradley, M. M., & Cuthbert, B. N. (1998). Emotion, motivation, and anxiety: Brain mechanisms and psychophysiology. Biological psychiatry, 44, 1248–1263.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loney, B. R., Frick, P. J., Clements, C. B., Ellis, M. L., & Kerlin, K. (2003). Callous–unemotional traits, impulsivity, and emotional processing in adolescents with antisocial behavior problems. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32(1), 66–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lykken, D. T. (1995). The antisocial personalities. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, A. A., Finger, E. C., Mitchell, D. G., Reid, M. E., Sims, C., Kosson, D. S., et al. (2008). Reduced amygdala response to fearful expressions in children and adolescents with callous–unemotional traits and disruptive behavior disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 712–720.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathias, C. W., & Stanford, M. S. (2003). Impulsiveness and arousal: Heart rate under conditions of rest and challenge. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 355–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathias, C. W., Stanford, M. S., Marsh, D. M., Frick, P. J., Moeller, F. G., Swann, A. C., & Dougherty, D. M. (2007). Characterizing aggressive behavior with the Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scale among adolescents with Conduct Disorder. Psychiatry Research, 151, 231–242.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ostrov, J. M., & Houston, R. J. (2008). The utility of forms and functions of aggression in emerging adulthood: Association with personality disorder symptomatology. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37, 1147–1158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panayiotou, G. (2008). Emotional dimensions reflected in ratings of affective scripts. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1795–1806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panayiotou, G., Witvliet, C. V. O., Robinson, J. D., & Vrana, S. R. (2011). A startling absence of emotion effects: Active attention to the startle probe as a motor task cue appears to eliminate modulation of the startle reflex by valence and arousal. Biological Psychology, 87, 226–233.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J. (1994). Emotion and psychopathy: Startling new insights. Psychophysiology, 3, 319–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J., & Bernat, E. M. (2009). Neurobiology of psychopathy: A two process theory. In G. G. Bernston & J. T. Cacioppo (Eds.), Handbook of neuroscience for the behavioral sciences (pp. 1110–1131). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scarpa, A., Haden, S. C., & Tanaka, A. (2010). Being hot-tempered: Autonomic, emotional, and behavioral distinctions between childhood reactive and proactive aggression. Biological Psychology, 84, 488–496.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, W., Eschmann, A., & Zuccolotto, A. (2002). E-Prime reference guide. Pittsburgh, PA: Psychology Software Tools.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanford, M. S., Houston, R. J., Mathias, C. W., Villemarette-Pittman, N. R., Helfritz, L. E., & Conklin, S. (2003). Characterizing aggressive behavior. Assessment, 10, 183–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, S. K., Vitale, J. E., & Newman, J. P. (2002). Emotion among women with psychopathy during picture perception. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111, 610–619.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaidyanathan, U., Patrick, C. J., & Bernat, E. M. (2009). Startle reflex potentiation during aversive picture viewing as an indicator of trait fear. Psychophysiology, 46, 75–85.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanman, E. J., Mejia, V. Y., Dawson, M. E., Schell, A. M., & Raine, A. (2003). Modification of the startle reflex in a community sample: Do one or two dimensions of psychopathy underlie emotional processing? Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 2007–2021.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viding, E., Sebastian, C. L., Dadds, M. R., Lockwood, P. L., et al. (2014). Amygdala response to preattentive masked fear in children with conduct problems: The role of callous–unemotional traits. American Journal of Psychiatry, 169, 1109–1116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vrana, S. R., Spence, E. L., & Lang, P. J. (1988). The startle probe response: A new measure of emotion? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 97, 487–491.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wells, G. L., & Windschitl, P. D. (1999). Stimulus sampling and social psychological experimentation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 1115–1125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Kostas A. Fanti, Georgia Panayiotou, Melina Nicole Kyranides & Marios N. Avraamides

  2. Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Georgia Panayiotou & Marios N. Avraamides

Authors
  1. Kostas A. Fanti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Georgia Panayiotou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Melina Nicole Kyranides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marios N. Avraamides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kostas A. Fanti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fanti, K.A., Panayiotou, G., Kyranides, M.N. et al. Startle modulation during violent films: Association with callous–unemotional traits and aggressive behavior. Motiv Emot 40, 321–333 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9517-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9517-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation