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.

URL: http://journals.cambridge.org/article_S0140525X06419051

DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X06419051

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