Intelligence as a modifier of the behavior of character disorders

Abstract

2additional studies were reported which suggest that IQ mediates the expression of psychopathy, as measured by the Insolence Scale. Prior work has suggested that the scale was most valid among individuals with IQs of 100 or more. The 1st study tested the hypothesis that there would be a stronger relationship between failure to complete high school and the Insolence Scale among more intelligent than less intelligent Ss. Using Navy recruits as Ss, this hypothesis was supported (p < .05). In general, the Insolence Scale's validity increased as the IQ level of sailors increased. In the 2nd study the assumption that the Insolence Scale is a measure of psychopathy was tested by correlating the scale with psychiatrists' diagnosis of psychopathy among a hospitalized Navy psychiatric population. It was found that the Insolence Scale correlated .66 (p < .01) with psychiatrists' diagnosis of psychopathy among the more intelligent patients. This correlation was -.04 among the less intelligent. Based upon additional experimental findings, it is suggested that character disorders with low IQ may exhibit psychopathic type behavior mainly in response to stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)