Subclinical Sadism: empathy deficits, emotion regulation strategies, and emotion-al evaluation of visual stimuli
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v18i103.1982Abstract
This study examines the affective characteristics of individuals with elevated levels of subclinical sadism. The primary aim was to investigate the associations of subclinical sadism with empathy and emotion regulation strategies, as well as to identify specific patterns in the emotional evaluation of visual stimuli among individuals with pronounced sadistic traits. The results revealed significant negative correlations between subclinical sadism and both cognitive and affective empathy, indicating a general deficit in the ability to understand and share the emotions of others. No significant associations were found between subclinical sadism and emotion regulation strategies, which may suggest a lower reliance on active emotion regulation among individuals with high levels of sadism. A gender moderation analysis demonstrated stronger negative associations between sadism and cognitive empathy in men. Moreover, individuals with higher levels of subclinical sadism evaluated aversive visual stimuli as less negative compared to participants with lower sadism scores. No differences were observed in the reported intensity of emotional reactions. These findings provide new insights into the emotional and cognitive characteristics of subclinical sadism and underscore the importance of considering gender and stimulus type in future research.
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