fei75766_ch16_495-533.indd 527  02/06/20 01:34 PM
Chapter 16    Skinner: Behavioral Analysis527
freeze (FFFS) (Corr &Cooper, 2016); andfinally, ameasure ofpositive andnegative 
mood overthepast2weeks (Watson, Clark, &Tellegen, 1988). 
Results ofthestudy supported theprediction thatdifferences inreinforcement 
sensitivity (conditioning) would predict different forms ofperfectionism (personality). 
Each ofthethree reinforcement sensitivities (approach, inhibition, andfight, freeze, 
orflight) showed positive relationships withself-oriented perfectionism, indicating 
thatbeing reactive tobothpositive andnegative reinforcers inone’s environment 
isassociated withbeing aself-oriented perfectionist. Other-oriented perfectionism, 
bycontrast, showed anegative relationship withtheBIS(andwasunrelated tothe
FFFS). Other-oriented perfectionists appear highly defensive andshow reduced sen-
sitivity tonegative reinforcers. Behavioral inhibition andapproach showed positive 
relationships withsocially prescribed perfectionism andwasunrelated totheFFFS. 
Social perfectionists haveahighly active BISbutarealsoimpulsive andlackgoal-
oriented persistence. 
Furthermore, aspredicted, thereinforcement sensitivity components ofBAS
andBISexplained differences inhowthethree forms ofperfectionism predicted 
recent positive andnegative mood. Self-oriented perfectionism seems tobeadouble-
edged sword, inthatitpredicts higher levels ofbothpositive mood viatheBASand
negative affect viatheBIS.Other oriented perfectionists, having reduced sensitivity 
tonegative reinforcers, appear toexperience lessnegative mood overall, compared 
toself-oriented perfectionists. These sorts ofperfectionists appear tohaveoverlaps 
withpsychopathy withhighdefensiveness when attacked andareduced sensitivity 
tonegative reinforcers. Finally, socially prescribed perfectionism appears tobean
entirely maladaptive form ofperfectionism, withdirect negative effects onemotional 
well-being. These people havemore negative andlesspositive affect thantheirother 
perfectionist counterparts, likely because theyperceive thattheynearly always failat
upholding others’ exacting standards ofperfection andtherefore findfewrewards in
theirenvironment. 
Corr andhiscolleagues haveextended thisresearch inaneffort tounderstand 
thedarker sideofpersonality, applying therevised RSTtotheemergence ofpsychop -
athy(Hughes, Moore, Morris, &Corr, 2012). Psychopathic individuals arecharacter -
izedbyextreme egocentrism, lackofremorse, impulsivity, and,germane toachapter 
onSkinner, animpaired ability tolearn from negative consequences. Most studies of
psychopathy examine clinical orimprisoned populations, butthisonesurveyed 192
university students intheUnited Kingdom, soastoprovide important information 
about hownon-disordered personality canevolve intopathology.
Corr andcolleagues assessed students withtheBehavioral Inhibition System/
Behavioral Activation System Scales (BIS/BAS; Carver &White, 1994) aswellas
theLevenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, &Fitzpatrick, 
1995), which measures dispositional attitudes andbeliefs presumed tounderlie psy-
chopathy, suchasalackofremorse oratendency tolie.Theresults wereconsis -
tentwithCorr’s (2010) neuropsychological model, which proposes anunderactive 
behavioral inhibition system (BIS) inpsychopathic people, whodonotanticipate or
respond typically topotentially punishing events. Thatis,those whoscored higher 
ontheLSRP alsotended tohavelowscores ontheBIS.Theideahereisthatpsy-
chopaths show deficits intheirability todetect goalconflict, andhence tolearn from 
aversive experiences. Final PDF to printer