Characteristics of Social Cognition in Lawbreakers: Theoretical Review

Main Article Content

Catalina Quintero López
Víctor Daniel Gil Vera
Luis Eduardo De Ángel Martínez
Alejandra Vanesa Bustamante Hernández

Abstract

Young lawbreakers with an antisocial structure suffer alterations in their social cognition, which is reflected in their difficulty to interact with others in an appropriate way and to put themselves in the place of others as a symbol of empathy. The findings of a systematic literature review are presented to answer the following research questions: What are the characteristics of empathy and sympathy in lawbreakers? What are the characteristics of moral reasoning in lawbreakers? Articles, books and specialized publications in scientific databases were reviewed. It is concluded that the offender of the law with antisocial structure has a neurobiological functioning different from the common offender, specifically in the brain areas associated with the responses of empathy, sympathy and moral reasoning. In these, pleasant biological responses are activated in the face of situations that generate feelings of compassion and pain in the majority of the population. The findings show that  people with antisocial structure feel satisfaction before the pain of others, demonstrating effects on social cognition, this being an issue of interest and topicality for neurosciences and social neuropsychology.

Keywords:
Neuropsychology personality juvenile delinquency cognition affectivity

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Article Details

Author Biographies

Catalina Quintero López, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Víctor Daniel Gil Vera, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Luis Eduardo De Ángel Martínez, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Alejandra Vanesa Bustamante Hernández, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia

Universidad Católica Luis Amigó, Medellín, Colombia