Meanness and deficits in facial affect processing: Evidence from the N170

Abstract

The triarchic construct of meanness, characterized by traits such as low empathy and lack of remorse, appears to be associated with deficits in affective processing. Specifically, meanness-related traits have been linked to deficits in brain reactivity and recognition of facial emotion. Recent meta-analytic work has provided preliminary evidence suggesting that N170 ERP amplitude reductions to fear faces might serve as a neurophysiological marker for meanness traits. However, most of these studies do not examine emotions other than fear, leaving open the question of whether meanness-related alterations in fear face processing might generalize to other facial expressions, nor the role of the other constructs of the triarchic model of psychopathy (i.e., boldness and disinhibition). The current study aimed to address these issues by measuring N170 amplitudes in a mixed-gender sample of 119 undergraduates while they passively viewed a broader range of emotional facial expressions (Anger, Fear, Happiness, and Neutral) alongside control (Scrambled) pictures. The specificity of this association to trait meanness compared to the other triarchic constructs was also assessed. Our results demonstrated meanness-related reductions in N170 amplitudes across all types of facial expressions, not just to fearful faces, even after controlling for the overlap with the other triarchic constructs. These findings highlight a general deficit in the structural encoding of facial features in high mean individuals, emphasizing the potential role of the N170 as a physiological tool for advancing our understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the aggressive, callous, and low-empathic characteristics of psychopathy.