According to a study published in Cognition and Emotion, people with psychopathic tendencies are more prone to take risks, even when confronted with fear-inducing stimuli, which may be attributed partly to a liking of fears.
Psychosis includes many characteristics, including lack of empathy, manipulation, impulsive behavior, and risk-taking. Psychosis is associated with less fear because people with psychosis are less anxious and physiologically responsive to dangerous stimuli. This absence of fear is linked to the impulsive, frequently detrimental decision-making that distinguishes psychopathic conduct.
This study examined “fear enjoyment” as a potential explanation for the variations in risk-taking behavior between individuals with high and low psychopathy levels.
The participants in the study were made to watch a horror video with jump scares and a video of a roller coaster ride in first person. They completed assessments on psychopathy, emotional reaction, definitions of fear and excitement, psychopathy, and demographics.
This study made significant advancements in our knowledge of the connection between psychopathy and fear.
According to the findings, people with higher psychopathy scores were more likely to report engaging in risk-taking behavior. Most participants reported less risk-taking after watching videos designed to elicit fear responses, whereas participants with psychotic traits did not.
When participants with higher psychosis scores were asked to describe their fear, they used positive language to express their feelings, further supporting the “fear enjoyment” hypothesis.
