Which theory has been proposed as a cause of psychopathic behavior by some researchers?

• A. Increased right hemisphere function
• B. High moral development
• C. Short attention span
• D. Cortical immaturity

Answer: (D)

Cortical immaturity is a neurodevelopmental idea that some researchers have linked to psychopathic traits. The notion is that delayed maturation of the cerebral cortex can lead to deficits in executive function, moral processing, and impulse control, which align with the affective and behavioral patterns seen in psychopathy. While this theory is not universally accepted, it has been proposed as a possible cause by researchers, giving it more explanatory power for why some individuals might display the hallmark traits. Other ideas listed don’t typically function as causal theories for psychopathy: one notion about brain function isn’t a standard causal hypothesis, a notion of high moral development would be inconsistent with psychopathic traits, and a short attention span on its own doesn’t capture the specific neurodevelopmental profile associated with psychopathy.