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Gómez-Leal R, Fernández-Berrocal P, Gutiérrez-Cobo MJ, Cabello R, Megías-Robles A. The Dark Tetrad: analysis of profiles and relationship with the Big Five personality factors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4443. [PMID: 38396168 PMCID: PMC10891063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55074-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Dark Tetrad (DT) is composed of the traits of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Sadism. Most studies analyzing the DT have employed a variable-centered approach, analyzing the traits separately. In the present study, we treat DT as a whole, adopting a person-centered approach. We analyzed different homogeneous subgroups of individuals characterized by specific DT profiles, aiming to examine their relationship with Big Five personality factors. A sample of 1149 participants (50.1% women, 18-79 years) completed The Short Dark Triad and the Assessment of Sadistic Personality instrument to assess DT, while the Mini-IPIP was used to assess the Big Five personality factors. Cluster analysis yielded five groups: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Mean DT, Low DT, and High DT group. The main results showed that the High DT group was distinguished by higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness (compared with the Low DT group). Moreover, the Narcissism group was characterized by higher scores on emotional stability, openness to experience, and extraversion. Finally, distribution according to gender varied across DT groups (more men than women in the High DT group and the opposite in the Low DT group). Limitations and future lines of research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Gómez-Leal
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, Campus Teatinos, S/N, 29071, Málaga, Spain.
| | | | | | - Rosario Cabello
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, Campus Teatinos, S/N, 29071, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alberto Megías-Robles
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, Campus Teatinos, S/N, 29071, Málaga, Spain.
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Plouffe RA, Kowalski CM, Papageorgiou KA, Dinić BM, Artamonova E, Dagnall N, Denovan A, Gianniou FM, Kyriazos T, Saklofske DH, Stalikas A. The Revised Assessment of Sadistic Personality (ASP-8): Evidence for Validity across Four Countries. J Pers Assess 2023; 105:149-162. [PMID: 35412410 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2055476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Subclinical sadism, characterized by infliction of cruelty, aggression, or humiliation on another for subjugation or pleasure, provides important information in the prediction of aversive behaviors that have implications for individuals' and society's well-being worldwide. Given sadism's universal relevance, it is imperative that researchers ensure valid and reliable trait measurement not only among English-speaking individuals, but also cross-nationally among countries in which sadism remains relatively understudied. The objective of the current research was to validate the revised version of the Assessment of Sadistic Personality (ASP-8) (Plouffe et al., 2017) across samples of Russian (n = 1087, Mage = 37.36, SD = 10.36), Greek (n = 1195, Mage = 35.64, SDage = 13.08), Serbian (n = 443, Mage = 28.10, SDage = 6.60), and British (n = 511, Mage = 28.50, SDage = 11.62) adults. Overall, results supported the reliability, dimensionality, and scalar/partial scalar measurement invariance of the ASP-8 across cross-national samples. Convergent and discriminant validity were mostly supported through correlations with general personality traits, the Dark Triad, emotional intelligence, mental toughness, depression, anxiety, stress, satisfaction with life, aggression, and attitudes toward social groups. Based on our findings, we recommend the use of the ASP-8 in future investigations of aversive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Plouffe
- The MacDonald Franklin Operational Stress Injury Research Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | | | | | - Bojana M Dinić
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Elena Artamonova
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Dagnall
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Denovan
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Theodoros Kyriazos
- Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Anastassios Stalikas
- Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece
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Pineda D, Rico-Bordera P, Martínez-Martínez A, Galán M, Piqueras JA. Dark tetrad personality traits also play a role in bullying victimization. Front Psychol 2022; 13:984744. [PMID: 36312177 PMCID: PMC9616045 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.984744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bullying refers to physical and/or psychological mistreatment or abuse by one individual or group toward another individual or group. Bullying is widespread in our society and carries considerable negative consequences. This phenomenon is caused by multiple factors, which include personality. Much more attention has been paid to the study of the perpetrators' negative personality traits than the victims. Several studies have examined the relationship between these traits—the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad—and being a victim of bullying (or mobbing) in adults, especially in the workplace. However, only two studies have been located that have studied these relationships in adolescents. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between being a victim of bullying and the ark Tetrad traits, delving into the specific contribution of Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism in victims of bullying in Spanish adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out by administering the Short Dark Triad, the Assessment of Sadistic Personality, and the Peer Bullying Questionnaire to 393 adolescents aged 12–18 years (M = 14.18; SD = 2.52; 53.7% male). The Dark Tetrad traits predicted the victimization variables in the seven models analyzed, with the verbal abuse model being the model with the largest contribution. Of the four dark traits, sadism stands out as the trait with the highest specific contribution. Our results indicate, despite not implying a causal relationship, that those people with high scores in the Dark Tetrad traits tend to be more victimized by bullying. Knowing the personality traits of the bullying perpetrators and their victims, practitioners will have a complete picture of the personality variables that play a role in preventing bullying and its associated victimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pineda
- Forensic Psychology Unit, Department of Health Psychology, Centre of Applied Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
| | - Pilar Rico-Bordera
- Forensic Psychology Unit, Department of Health Psychology, Centre of Applied Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
| | - Ana Martínez-Martínez
- Forensic Psychology Unit, Department of Health Psychology, Centre of Applied Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ana Martínez-Martínez
| | - Manuel Galán
- Forensic Psychology Unit, Department of Health Psychology, Centre of Applied Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - José A. Piqueras
- Forensic Psychology Unit, Department of Health Psychology, Centre of Applied Psychology, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain
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Torres-Marín J, Navarro-Carrillo G, Carretero-Dios H. Differentiating the traits of the Dark Tetrad in their linkages with humor styles, dispositions toward ridicule and laughter, and comic styles. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Kowalski CM, Rogoza R, Saklofske DH, Schermer JA. Dark triads, tetrads, tents, and cores: Why navigate (research) the jungle of dark personality models without a compass (criterion)? Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 221:103455. [PMID: 34864320 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review summarizes and evaluates the present state of the Dark Triad research literature (or more broadly, the dark personality trait literature), and as such serves both a pedagogical purpose, by providing an introduction or primer on the dark personality literature and a scientific purpose by directing future research on key issues that still have not been sufficiently addressed. In this review, we discuss and critique current operational conceptualizations of what it means for a personality trait to be classified as 'dark'. Also discussed is the Dark Core, as well as quantitative issues such as limitations of commonly used statistical treatments, such as multivariate analyses, bifactor modeling, and composite measures, and proposed solutions to some of these issues. Based on a comprehensive and critical appraisal of the literature, future directions are suggested to drive the dark trait field towards a more organized, parsimonious, and productive future.
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