Dark Triad traits and their structure: An empirical approach

Psychopathic Traits and Utilitarian Moral Judgment Revisited

To provide deeper insights into the relationships between psychopathic traits and utilitarian moral judgment, we studied N = 702 adults using three psychopathy scales: (a) the Levenson's Self-report Psychopathy Scale; (b) the Psychopathic Personality Inventory; and (c) the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure; and three measures of utilitarian moral judgment: (a) trolley dilemmas; (b) the Consequences, Norms, and Inaction (CNI) model of moral decision-making; and (c) the Oxford Utilitarianism Scale. When using the traditional approach to moral judgment (i.e., trolley dilemmas, instrumental harm, traditional score from the CNI model), we found that higher levels of psychopathic traits were associated with a higher utilitarian tendency. When using the modeling approach, we found that a higher level of psychopathic traits was related to weaker sensitivity to moral norms and less action averse in morally problematic situations. In addition, we found negative associations between impartial beneficence and all psychopathy scores.

The dark side of mental toughness: a meta-analysis of the relationship between the dark triad traits and mental toughness

Introduction

This meta-analysis investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and mental toughness. Previous research has shown mixed results regarding the influence of these traits on mental toughness. The objective of this meta-analysis is to synthesize existing literature and provide a comprehensive understanding of how Dark Triad traits correlate with mental toughness.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 7 databases, Data were extracted by correlation and analyzed using a random-effects model.

Results

The results yielding 27 effect sizes with a total of 12,378 participants, revealed a significant moderate positive association between narcissism and mental toughness (r = 0.327, p < 0.001), suggesting that individuals with higher levels of narcissism tend to exhibit greater mental toughness. However, no significant associations were found between Machiavellianism (r = 0.023, p = 0.719) or psychopathy (r = -0.022, p = 0.625) and mental toughness.

Discussion

The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the Dark Triad traits and their differential associations with adaptive psychological constructs, highlighting the unique role of narcissism in mental toughness. This meta-analysis provides valuable insights for future research and practical applications in fostering adaptive aspects of narcissism while mitigating its potential maladaptive consequences.

A Network Analysis Approach to Understanding Centrality and Overlap of 21 Dark Triad Items in Adults of 10 Countries

Background

Previous research has suggested that manipulation and callousness are central to Dark Triad traits, but it has not identified which specific manifestations are expressed across various countries.

Objective

This study aimed to identify the core and overlapping manifestations of Dark Triad traits across 10 countries.

Methods

We used the Short Dark Triad (SD3) scale and assessed a sample of 8093 participants (59.7% women, M(age) = 32.68 years). For graphical representation, the spinglass algorithm was applied to understand the cluster distribution among Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and subclinical narcissism traits. Centrality indices were used to identify the most influential items, and the clique-percolation algorithm was employed to detect shared attributes among multiple Dark Triad items.

Results

Straightforward SD3-21 items demonstrated better interpretability as aversive traits within the broader system. Items with higher centrality values were those related to short-term verbal manipulation from the psychopathy domain, clever manipulation, strategic revenge-seeking from Machiavellianism, and narcissistic motivations for connecting with significant individuals. The most predicted items were linked to planned revenge, using information against others from Machiavellianism, short-term psychopathic verbal manipulation, and narcissistic belief of specialness based on external validation. Items like short-term verbal manipulation had overlaps with both psychopathy and narcissism clusters, while clever manipulation overlapped with Machiavellianism and psychopathy.

Conclusion

This cross-cultural study highlights the central role of verbal manipulation within the Dark Triad traits, along with identifying overlapping items among traits measured using straightforward SD3 scale items. In line with our findings, future research that incorporates a wide range of cultural contexts is encouraged to establish the consistency of these findings with the SD3 Scale or alternative measures.

The relationship between the Dark Triad and bullying among Chinese adolescents: the role of social exclusion and sense of control

Introduction

Abundant evidence has proved the association between the Dark Triad and bullying. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still not fully understood. Based on the temporal need-threat model, three studies were designed to explore the mediating role of social exclusion and sense of control in this research.

Methods

In study 1 we recruited 571 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 14.53, SD = 0.716) to participate in a cross-sectional study. And two experiments were respectively designed in Study 2 (N = 88) and Study 3 (N = 102) to verify the effects of real and cyber social exclusion on adolescent bullying behavior.

Results

Study 1 showed that social exclusion and sense of control would play the serial mediating role in the relationship between the Dark Triad and bullying (except social exclusion as a mediator between the Dark Triad and cyberbullying). Study 2 and 3 showed that adolescents with high Dark Triad show lower sense of control and more bullying behavior after experiencing social exclusion.

Discussion

These findings extend the research on the Dark Triad and bullying by providing a solid empirical foundation and intervention strategies to avoid bullying so that the problem can be rationally and scientifically approached.

Dark personality traits and entrepreneurial intentions among Pakistani university students: The role of executive functions and academic intent to entrepreneurship

This study examined the mediating role of core Executive Functions (EF: working memory and inhibitory control) and moderating role of Perceived Academic Intent to Entrepreneurship (PAIE) in relationship between Dark Personality Traits (SDT) and Entrepreneurial Intentions (EI) of university students. A sample of 539 university students enrolled in various undergraduate and postgraduate programs completed the Short Dark Triad-3 (SD3), Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI), and measures for assessing Entrepreneurial Intent and Perceived Academic Intent to Entrepreneurship. The results showed that of SDT, only Machiavellianism was significantly associated with EI. Both of the core executive functions and PAIE were also positively correlated with EI. Moreover, findings showed that EF positively mediated the relationship between Machiavellian disposition and entrepreneurial intention, while perceived academic intent to entrepreneurship moderated the relationship between executive functions and EI. A significant moderated mediation index was also reported. Findings offer useful insight to the interplay among above mentioned variables and guide educational and organizational psychologists to employ core cognitive strategies for promoting entrepreneurial thoughts and channelizing the productive energies of students with malevolent tendencies through academic coaching.

Moral Disengagement, Dark Triad and Face Mask Wearing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Not wearing a face mask, despite the sanitary recommendation, represented a public health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the aim of the study was to determine the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between the dark triad and face mask wearing during the second wave of the pandemic. We worked with a sample made up of 534 adults, who were administered the Dirty Dozen Dark test, the Moral Disengagement Mechanisms Scale and a questionnaire on the frequency of use of face masks. The results showed that moral disengagement mediates the effect of each trait of the dark triad (Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism) on the use of face masks. It is concluded that those who possess any of the dark personality traits morally disengage in order not to use a face mask, exercising a reckless behavior of the possible contagion of COVID-19 to others.

Mediating Role of Psychological Maladjustment in Relation Between Dark Triad, Psychological Distress and Subjective Happiness of Pakistani Emerging Adults

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is fraught with challenges that might have impacts on later life and personality development. Earlier research investigated Dark Triad traits in connection to emotional problems. The current study, on the other hand, focused on investigating the mediating role of psychological maladjustment in the relation of Dark Triad traits, psychological distress, and subjective happiness in emerging adults. A sample of 546 participants aged 18–25 years (M = 21.2 years) from Pakistan have participated to complete an online survey. Standardized assessment tools were used to measure the targeted variables. Results indicated that Machiavellianism and psychopathy were positively associated with psychological distress, whereas narcissism appeared to be a non-significant predictor. Subjective happiness was positively associated with Machiavellianism and negatively associated with psychopathy. In addition, mediation analysis through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism and psychopathology), psychological distress, and subjective wellbeing were explained by psychological maladjustment. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Revealing the hierarchical structure of temperamental constructs distinguished in eight theories

The paper explores the hierarchical structure of temperament with the inclusion of a wide catalog of temperamental constructs derived from eight different theoretical models. Analyses were conducted on a group of 412 participants aged from 16 to 79 (M_age = 28.49, SD_age = 11.64), administrating nine well-established measures of temperament, with a representation of 34 different constructs. An eight-level hierarchical structure of temperament was obtained using a top-down procedure. The results are discussed twofold: (1) relating the subsequent levels of the obtained structure to the existing theories and models of temperament, and (2) regarding possible identification of the most general dimensions of temperament, that percolate the abundant catalogs of its specific constructs. The latter-considering both an empirical and theoretical perspectives-resulted in the emergence of the Big Two broad factors, being recognized as two fundamental dimensions of temperament. The first factor (Neuroticism/Emotionality) refers to general (negative) emotionality and susceptibility to react with negative affect, whereas the second (Extraversion/Sensation Seeking) is expressed in broadly understood activity and its diversity, as well as high stimuli value of functioning.

Locating the Dark Triad in a Multidimensional Personality Space

The Dark Triad traits of Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and Narcissism should be clearly recognizable within a multidimensional personality space. Two such personality spaces were investigated in this study: HEXACO (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience); and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ) space (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Activity, Sensation Seeking, and Aggressiveness). Our sample comprised 289 participants (137 males, 145 females, 7 unspecified) who completed these three questionnaires: HEXACO-60, ZKA-PQ/SF, and the SD3, assessing the Dark Triad. We reduced the dimensionality of each space to that of a 2D representation using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). Three research questions guided the data analysis: (a) Do the HEXACO and ZKA-PQ SSA spaces conform to the structure of a radex? (b) Will these spaces remain invariant following the entry of the Dark Triad traits into the analyses? (c) Where will the Dark Triad traits be located in each SSA space? For ZKA-PQ space, the structure was clearly indicative of a radex, both prior to entering the Dark Triad traits into the analysis, and subsequent to this. Psychopathy and Machiavellianism were in close proximity in the Aggressiveness region; Narcissism was positioned at the common origin. In contrast, HEXACO space did not conform to a radex; furthermore, the presence of the Dark Triad traits distorts this 2D SSA space.

Crowd Salience Reduces Aversion to Facially Communicated Psychopathy but Not Narcissism

Despite the adaptive advantages of social affiliation in humans, the benefits of interpersonal contact are nonetheless bounded. The experience of crowding can emerge from an oversaturation of social affiliation, fostering avoidant behaviors and heightening vigilance toward interpersonal threats. Among these features indicative of threat includes facial structures connoting dark personality traits associated with a proclivity toward exploitative behavior. Despite the potential costs imposed by those exhibiting these features, individuals could nonetheless enjoy coalitional benefits from exploitative humans (i.e., protection). Two studies investigated whether crowding would foster aversion or interest toward facial structures connoting psychopathy and narcissism. Although crowd salience heightened tolerance for psychopathy (Study 1), providing evidence for a bodyguard hypothesis, narcissism was similarly aversive regardless of motivational state (Study 2). We frame results from an evolutionary perspective and provide tentative explanations for discrepant signal values through psychopathy and narcissism that could elicit disparate findings.

Dark Triad Traits, Social Position, and Personality: A Cross-Cultural Study

This research explores the Dark Triad traits in 18 cultures from Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. We examined the relationships among Dark Triad traits, as measured by the SD3, with gender, age, social status, and two personality models, HEXACO and Zuckerman’s alternative five factor model (AFFM). There were 10,298 participants (5,410 women and 4,888 men) with a mean age of 40.31 ( SD = 17.32) years old. Between 6% and 16% of the variance in the Dark Triad traits was accounted by culture. Men scored higher than women on all three traits in most cultures, but gender differences were generally larger in European countries. The relationship between the Dark Triad traits dimensions and age is negative, but the largest effect size is small (Psychopathy; η2 = .018). Psychopathy is associated with low Social Position, and Narcissism with high Social Position. In regard to Personality traits, Narcissism is positively related to Extraversion, and Psychopathy is negatively related to Conscientiousness for the HEXACO, and Narcissism is positively related to Activity and Sensation Seeking, and Machiavellianism and Psychopathy are positively related to Aggressiveness and Sensation Seeking for the AFFM.

Moral grandstanding, narcissism, and self-reported responses to the COVID-19 crisis

The present study aimed to understand how status-oriented individual differences such as narcissistic antagonism, narcissistic extraversion, and moral grandstanding motivations may have longitudinally predicted both behavioral and social media responses during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Via YouGov, a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults was recruited in August of 2019 (N = 2,519; M_age  = 47.5, SD = 17.8; 51.4% women) and resampled in May of 2020, (N = 1,533). Results indicated that baseline levels of narcissistic antagonism were associated with lower levels of social distancing and lower compliance with public health recommended behaviors. Similarly, dominance oriented moral grandstanding motivations predicted greater conflict with others over COVID-19, greater engagement in status-oriented social media behaviors about COVID-19, and lower levels of social distancing.

Who are the 'social Darwinists'? On dispositional determinants of perceiving the social world as competitive jungle

The naive social Darwinism, also called the Competitive Jungle Belief (CJB), according to the theory of the Dual-Process Motivational (DPM) model, is recognized as an expanded perceptual scheme acting as a cognitive mediator between deep individual characteristics and the area of socio-political attitudes and ideologies. This article aims to show the individual differences that can be dispositional characteristics to believe in the Competitive Jungle scheme’s principles. The presented studies’ main theoretical question is to find out whether the CJB bases on positive "individual resources" or rather some psychological deficits. In an extensive survey study, including four random-representative samples of adults Poles (with N ranging from 624 to 853 respondents), we tested the predictive power of the five categories of variables: 1) attachment styles; 2) Big Five personality traits; 3) Dark Triad of personality; 4) basic human values and 5) moral judgments. The results showed the psychological profile of social Darwinists as clearly dysfunctional in terms of personal life quality. They express characteristics like admiration for power and desire to dominate, pursue one’s goals at all costs, exploitative attitude towards people, and hostility. On the other hand, they reveal a fearful style in close relations with others and have low self-esteem and low self-sufficiency. From the societal perspective, such beliefs make up a vision of social life that is unfavorable for building a cooperative, helpful, and relatively egalitarian society. The supreme idea that only those who do not sympathize with others and are ready to use them can be successful and survive is far from the principles of liberal democracy.

Assessment of the factorial and criterion validity of the General Charisma Inventory in a Spanish-speaking sample

BACKGROUND

Charisma can be understood as a personality trait that allows one to influence other people. Research on charisma has predominately focused on leadership, but it can also be successfully studied in the general population. The General Charisma Inventory (GCI) has not yet been analysed in different cultures. The current study represents the first attempt to examine and validate this instrument in a Spanish-speaking population.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The GCI was administered in a series of three studies to a large adult community sample (N1 = 756, N2 = 96, N3 = 149). A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify the structure of the GCI. Factorial and criterion validity was examined in the context of well-being and the Dark Triad traits. Measurement invariance across age and gender of the GCI in a Spanish-speaking sample was also analysed.

RESULTS

The results confirmed the hypothesised two-factorial structure and therefore the Spanish version of the GCI is a structurally valid and reliable measure, and its dimensions relate to different outcomes such as well-being and the Dark Triad.

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish GCI could be used in general research on charisma and applied to a wide range of age groups within the Spanish-speaking context, providing economic screening for research and practice.

Making and maintaining relationships through the prism of the dark triad traits: A longitudinal social network study

OBJECTIVE

We investigated how Dark Triad traits influence the development and maintenance of social relations.

METHOD

Participants completed the Short Dark Triad questionnaire and a measure of social relations at three time points: at the beginning of their first year in high school, 3 months later, and at the end of their first year. We investigated whether the Dark Triad traits are stable over time using Multilevel Modeling (N = 265; 59.6% girls), and how Dark Triad traits predict incoming and outgoing agentic and communal relations using Temporal Exponential Random Graph Models (N = 192; 60.4% girls).

RESULTS

Overall, the Dark Triad traits were stable over a one-year period. Narcissism did not predict an increase in communal and agentic relations in the short-term, but predicted slightly less incoming communal and more agentic relations in the long-term. In the short-term, Machiavellianism predicted a small increase while psychopathy predicted a small decrease in the incoming agentic and communal relations. In the long-term, however, neither Machiavellianism nor psychopathy was a significant predictor of any incoming relations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results shed new light on the dynamics of making and maintaining social relations through the prism of the Dark Triad traits.

Examining the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) Across Models, Correlates, and Gender

To date, no studies have examined a range of structural models of the interpersonally aversive traits tapped by the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4; narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism), in conjunction with their measurement invariance (males vs. females) and how the models each predict external correlates. Using a large sample of young adults (N = 3,975), four latent variable models were compared in terms of fit, measurement invariance, and prediction of intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. The models tested were as follows: (Model A) confirmatory factor analytic, (Model B) bifactor, (Model C) exploratory structural equation model, and (Model D) a reduced-item confirmatory factor analytic that maximized item information. All models accounted for item covariance with good precision, although differed in incremental fit. Strong invariance held for all models, and each accounted similarly for the external correlates, highlighting differential predictive effects of the SD4 factors. The results provide support for four theoretically distinct but overlapping dark personality domains.

Structural investigation of the Short Dark Triad for Youths (13-16 years)

Background

The classic three-factor structure of the Short Dark Triad Questionnaire (SD3) has been confirmed in studies on different popu-lations. However, a few studies (including those on the Polish population) reveal some problem with the proposed SD3 struc-ture. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the structure of the Short Dark Triad for Youths (SD3-Y) in a sample of subclinical Polish adolescents. The results obtained should be treated as comments on the inconsistencies that exist among classic and critical conceptualisations of the SD3 structure.

Participants and procedure

Three studies were conducted: (1) adaptation of the Polish version of the SD3 in terms of linguistic and cognitive needs of ado-lescents (N = 45); (2) investigation of the structure of the SD3-Y (N = 405); (3) examination of the external validity of the SD3-Y (N = 325).

Results

A series of confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses using ω coefficients as well as a correlation analysis between the Dark Triad traits and Big Five traits, aggression and self-esteem were conducted. No replication of the factor structure of the classic model was obtained. The bifactor Dark Dyad model with psychopathy and Machiavellianism as two dimensions best fits the data. The ω reliability coefficients were acceptable with the highest value for psychopathy. There was an admissible external validity level.

Conclusions

The Dark Triad as measured by SD3-Y comprises the Dark Dyad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism) and narcissism as a feature independent of the other two. Such data comply with the critical findings relating to the structure of the SD3 with a Polish adult population.

The Dark Triad and BIS/BAS: a Meta-Analysis

Are there any temperamental predispositions to developing a dark personality traits? Within the current paper we address this question by investigating relations between the temperamental traits of the behavioural inhibition and approach systems (BIS and BAS, respectively) and the Dark Triad traits of personality. For this purpose, we conducted a meta-analysis of 18 studies with a total of 8911 participants. The results partially corroborated existing claims that the Dark Triad traits are a group of high-approach low-avoidance temperamental traits; however, the role of BAS seems to be more important. Among the Dark Triad traits, narcissism seems to be the most related to both the BIS and the BAS. Psychopathy in turn seems to be mostly related to the fun-seeking facet of the BAS. Finally, Machiavellianism appears to be the least related to temperamental traits. Thus, it seems that only narcissism and psychopathy confirm the claim about a connection between the Dark Triad traits and a high-approach low-avoidance temperament.