Problems of Forensic Sciences 2009 Vol. 79 (LXXIX) 283-293
PSYCHOPATHY VS. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN PENITENTIARY RECIDIVISTS
Krzysztof NOWAKOWSKI
Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Streszczenie
In our studies we tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between psychopathy and emotional intelligence understood as the ability to recognise and distinguish emotions. The group of participants consisted of 30 male recidivists from the prison in Nowy Wiśnicz. Psychopathy was assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) by R. Hare. Emotional intelligence was assessed using the Scale of Emotional Intelligence – Faces (Skala Inteligencji Emocjonalnej – Twarze; SIE-T) by Matczak, Piekarska and Studniarek. The presented results demonstrate that among the tested prisoners there was a positive correlation between psychopathy and emotional intelligence. Prisoners with a higher emotional detachment factor of psychopathy were more accurate at recognition and distinction of emotional expression. These findings suggest that high EI might compensate for emotional detachment in psychopathy and let psychopaths exist in society. However, their relationships are based on manipulation and exploitation for their own profit.
Słowa kluczowe
Psychopathy; Emotional intelligence; Emotions.