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The psychobiology of undersocialized aggressive conduct disorder: A theoretical perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Herbert C. Quay
Herbert C. Quay*
Affiliation:
University of Miami
*
Address correspondence to: Herbert C. Quay, 2525 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Apt. 5C, Longboat Key, FL 34228.
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Abstract

Undersocialized aggressive conduct disorder is conceptualized within the framework for personality and motivation of Jeffrey Gray. The disorder is seen as reflecting a dominance of the reward system over the behavioral inhibition system. Evidence for this conceptualizing coming from behavioral, psychophysiological, biochemical, and pharmacological studies is reviewed. Relevant findings from these studies include perseverative responding for reward, indices of inefficient noradrenergic and serotonergic functioning, and electrodermal underresponding. Additional research to test the proposed hypothesis is suggested.

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Development and Psychopathology , Volume 5 , Issue 1-2 , Winter-Spring 1993 , pp. 165 - 180
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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