PonerologyNews.com

Each year, the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) and the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS, Division 41 of the American Psychological Association) jointly present the Saleem Shah Early Career Development Award.

Saleem A.Shah, Ph.D. was a highly esteemed psychologist. In fact, he was so influential that some credit him with helping to establish the specialty of forensic psychology.

While working at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Shah directed, for nearly 20 years, an interdisciplinary research program focused on antisocial and violent behavior. The program was first called the Center for Studies of Crime and Delinquency and later known as the Antisocial and Violent Behavior Branch.

He had a special interest in the relationship between mental health and the law and, in his role at NIMH, helped form the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Known as a man of strong conscience with deep concern for patients and their rights, he spoke all over the world, urging people to make sure that psychology was used in society in a compassionate and ethical way.

Tragically, Shah died in a car accident in 1992.

The award bearing his name has been presented annually, since 1995, to a young professional who demonstrates “significant early career achievement in forensic psychology or related fields of law.” (more…)

One of the most challenging and important questions in ponerology is whether conditions associated with reduced empathy and conscience, and thus with increased likelihood of harmful malicious and neglectful activity, are caused by nature (genes, biology, etc.) or nurture (environment, upbringing, etc.)

Most who work in the fields that study aspects of this question take the view that the answer involves some combination of the two.

But this still leaves us with another question. In what proportion do each of these factors contribute in which people?

One remarkable case offers some fascinating insight on the subject.

Dr. James Fallon

James Fallon, Ph.D. is a highly decorated neuroscientist and Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Neurobiology at University of California, Irvine. Dr. Fallon has several areas of expertise. One is adult stem cells. Another is psychiatry. Specifically, he is interested in the relationships between brain imaging (he has served as Director of UC Irvine’s Human Brain Imaging Center), genetics and various psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, depression and addictions.

An Extraordinary Experiment

Aware of his specialties, for many years, Fallon’s colleagues have sent him brain images they wished to have him analyze.

At one point this interchange took the form of an experiment.

Colleagues sent him 70 MRI scans of brains belonging to people ranging from healthy to mentally ill. Included in the batch were scans of brains belonging to killers, including some notorious ones. But Fallon had no idea which scanned brain belonged to whom.

Nonetheless, he was able to identify differences in five of the scans so dramatic that he could recognize them as the markers of psychopathy. And it turned out that he was correct. The five scans on which he zeroed in actually were those from the brains of psychopathic serial killers. (more…)