Reading Threat Everywhere: A Scoping Review of Hostility Biases and Dark Personality Traits in Offenders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbpsyped.2026.1.01Keywords:
social information processing, hostility bias, aversive personality, psychopathy, aggression, incarcerated offendersAbstract
Despite significant interest and relevance to society, the triggers that lead to antisocial behavior are still insufficiently investigated, especially in key populations such as convicted offenders.
This study aimed to summarize the current literature on hostility biases and aggressive behavior in incarcerated individuals, in relation to their dark personality traits. A thorough search across multiple electronic citation databases (Google Scholar, PsycInfo, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science) was performed, focusing on articles published from January 1990 to August 2025. Out of the 344 articles initially identified, only 14 were deemed suitable for inclusion in the scoping review following the eligibility screening process. The studies that were included measured hostility biases (HBs) occurring at different stages of social information processing (perception, interpretation, attribution, expectation). The research had to be conducted on offenders and include a measure of aversive personality traits alongside other relevant variables.
A diverse population of convicted individuals displaying aggressive propensities (proactive/reactive) or mental health problems, as well as malevolent dimensions in their personality structure, was analyzed for extracting potential triggers of law breaking.
Our review revealed that delinquent behavior emerges as a result of a multilevel processing of social cues, from facial recognition of emotions to interpretive and intentional attributions, differentially flavored by antagonistic personality traits. Analyzing research carried out in correctional facilities offers valuable insights into the core of the information decoding mechanism that precipitates offenders’ propensity to engage and persist in committing antisocial behaviors.
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