Introduction: Machiavellians are famously described as having the "cool syndrome" and one wonders how they could go on to exploit others if they did have any aspect of hot empathy. There are a number of theories regarding the possible mechanisms by which empathy influences behaviors (e.g. Feshbach 1975, Marshall, Hudson, Jones & Fernandez 1995, Pithers 1999). However, many of these theories have as their fundamental basis the assumption that a greater amount of empathy inhibits antisocial behavior and increases the likelihood of prosocial behavior. This is because the ability to experience or understand another person's negative emotions should motivate a person with high empathy to act to alleviate this suffering. This action might be undertaken for altruistic reasons. Also an individual with high empathy would derive rewards in the form of vicarious pleasure from any subsequent positive emotions that resulted from the prosocial behavior.