Sadistic cruelty and unempathic evil: Psychobiological and evolutionary considerations

Bibliographic Collection: 
MOCA Reference, APE
Publication Type: Journal Article
Authors: Stein,Dan J.
Year of Publication: 2006
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Volume: 29
Pagination: 242–242
Date Published: 6
Publication Language: eng
ISSN: 1469-1825
Abstract:

Understanding the origins of evil behaviour is one of our most important intellectual tasks. A distinction can perhaps be drawn between overt sadistic cruelty and the lack of empathy to suffering that is a hallmark of evil. There is increasing data available on the prevalence, proximal psychobiological underpinnings, and distal evolutionary basis for these contrasting phenomena.

DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X06419051
Export:
Related MOCA Topics: