Validation of the Five-Factor Model Antagonistic Triad Measure

Uncovering Hidden Framings in Dark Triad Self-Ratings: What Frames-of-Reference Do People Use When Responding to Generic Dark Triad Items?

In typical Dark Triad (DT) questionnaires, generic items oftentimes refer to "others" or "people" in general. Hence, respondents have to mentally aggregate their behavior across several kinds of "others" (e.g., work colleagues, family members, and friends). It remains unknown if individuals consider different kinds of interaction partners equally or if their self-reports contain "hidden" interaction partner-specific tendencies. To shed light on this issue, we assessed generic and contextualized DT items (referring to family, friends, work, and strangers; N = 814 from the general population). The correlated trait-correlated (method - 1) model was used to investigate preregistered research questions. On average, generic DT items showed the strongest association with work-contextualized DT items and the weakest association with family-contextualized DT items. However, the associations varied considerably across DT items and traits. In sum, our results suggest that hidden framings exist in some DT items, which may impact their ability to predict relevant criteria due to contextual (a)symmetries. The generalizability of the findings to other DT instruments, items, and participant groups should be examined in future research.

Theoretical and Empirical Integration of "Dark" Traits and Socially Aversive Personality Psychopathology

Conceptual work integrating constructs from mainstream personality research (especially so-called "dark" traits) and clinical psychopathology research has been limited. Herein, we propose all socially and/or ethically aversive traits as "flavored" manifestations of the D factor of personality (D). We argue that the D framework provides the commonality of all aversive traits, including the aversive traits from the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD), a more thorough theoretical foundation. Moreover, D covers aspects that are not captured by any of the aversive AMPD traits directly (e.g., greed), thus offering indications for possible expansions to the AMPD. We tested our predictions in two online studies (N = 1,781 and N = 2,006) using quota-representative samples of the German population regarding age and gender. Twelve aversive traits from mainstream personality research and eight aversive AMPD traits were assessed together with consequential behavior in an economic game. Analyses using structural equation modeling overall confirmed predictions.

Measuring the "Dark" Triad: Comparing the Five-Factor Model Antagonistic Triad Measure to Other Commonly Used Self-Report Instruments

The "Dark" Triad (DT) refers to three personality constructs with ties to socially aversive behaviors: psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. These constructs are commonly assessed via omnibus self-report inventories such as the Short Dark Triad (SD3) or the Dirty Dozen. Alternatively, researchers wishing to measure "dark" traits can compile stand-alone measures of each construct. Recently, the Five Factor Model Antagonistic Triad Measure (FFM ATM) was developed, which measures the DT from the perspective of the widely used Five Factor Model of personality. Initial validation studies indicated that the FFM ATM addresses common concerns with other omnibus inventories (e.g., allows for multifaceted examination of DT constructs). The current study tested the FFM ATM in relation to these other methods of measuring the DT (i.e., omnibus inventories and combinations of single-construct measures). Across three tests of validity (i.e., nomological network analysis, intraclass correlations, and incremental validity analyses), the FFM ATM showed favorable results and outperformed other measures of the DT.

Exploring the Motivations and Personality Traits of Pro-Russian Collaborationists in Ukraine

This study investigates the personality traits and motivations of collaborationists with Russian invaders in Ukraine. A focus group of individuals who knew collaborationists personally identified 14 collaborationism motives (CMs), which were used to interview 104 probation clients convicted of collaborationism. The study utilized the five-factor model developed by Costa and McCrae to evaluate individual characteristics. Categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) reduced the 14 CMs to three dimensions: pragmatism, adaptation, and fear. The study found that individual factors promoting collaborationism included pragmatism, ideological adaptation to changing realities, and fear stemming from threats to the life and health of an individual and/or their relatives. The study provides insights into the psychology of collaborationism, which can be useful in designing resocialization programs during the probation period of collaborationists.

Coworkers Behaving Badly: How the Dark Triad Influences Responses to Witnessing Workplace Misconduct

The "bad-begets-bad" phenomenon describes how witnessed or perceived misconduct in an organization promotes mental states and behavior that encourage further misconduct. Based in two perspectives on how the Dark Triad (DT) constructs (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) differentiate, we proposed their roles in contributing to the bad-begets-bad phenomenon. A convenience sample of college students (N = 454) completed an online study in which they read vignettes depicting workplace misconduct wherein a reporting incentive was (incentive condition) or was not (no-incentive condition) offered. Subsequently, they reported their likelihood of possessing mental states (e.g., goals) and engaging in behavior broadly reflective of the bad-begets-bad phenomenon. Lastly, they completed the Short Dark Triad (SD3) questionnaire to assess narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. We used a series of step-wise regression models to analyze the data. Consistent with the "malicious two" perspective on the DT, only Machiavellianism and psychopathy consistently predicted mental states and behavior reflective of the bad-begets-bad phenomenon. Also, consistent with the "cautious and adaptable Machiavellian perspective," only Machiavellianism interacted with the incentive condition to influence people's willingness to report misconduct (i.e., not further promote misconduct). Broadly, the data contribute to understanding the role of the DT in organizational settings and support two perspectives on how the DT should operate in the context of witnessing workplace misconduct.

The Questionable Practice of Partialing to Refine Scores on and Inferences About Measures of Psychological Constructs

Partialing is a statistical approach researchers use with the goal of removing extraneous variance from a variable before examining its association with other variables. Controlling for confounds through analysis of covariance or multiple regression analysis and residualizing variables for use in subsequent analyses are common approaches to partialing in clinical research. Despite its intuitive appeal, partialing is fraught with undesirable consequences when predictors are correlated. After describing effects of partialing on variables, we review analytic approaches commonly used in clinical research to make inferences about the nature and effects of partialed variables. We then use two simulations to show how partialing can distort variables and their relations with other variables. Having concluded that, with rare exception, partialing is ill-advised, we offer recommendations for reducing or eliminating problematic uses of partialing. We conclude that the best alternative to partialing is to define and measure constructs so that it is not needed.