Dark triad constructs blend facets with heterogenous self-presentation tactic use profiles

Dominance Analysis of Bright and Dark Dispositional Predictors of Socially Desirable Responding

Although the role of so-called dark traits in the prediction of maladaptive behavior has seen a large increase in interest by researchers, the Big Five still maintain their ubiquity in the prediction of most behaviors. This study uses measures of the Dark Tetrad and the Big Five personality traits to predict a very specific form of maladaptive behavior: the impression management form of socially desirable responding. In regression-based dominance analysis, results suggest that not all of the Big Five nor the Dark Tetrad provide statistically significant incremental validity but as a block, the Big Five dominate the Dark Tetrad in the prediction of the purposeful misrepresentation of one's self to others on self-report inventories. More specifically, four of the Big Five as well as the traits of Machiavellianism and sadism from the Dark Tetrad are significant predictors of impression management.

A Closer Examination of the Integrity Scale's Construct Validity

People's commitment to moral principles affects how they self-regulate and directs people down different ethical paths. The Integrity Scale was designed to assess the strength of people's commitment to moral principles. Here, we sought to contribute to evaluating the construct validity of the Integrity Scale. We related the scale to various theoretically relevant criteria including low antagonism features, social-cognitive foundations for morality, self-control, rationality, and self-presentation behavior. Suggestive of the scale's construct validity, the present research showed that scores on the Integrity Scale related to (a) reduced antagonistic-personality features relevant to exploitation and dishonesty more so than immodesty, tough-heartedness, fearlessness, or cynicism; (b) enhanced social-cognitive skills (e.g., cognitive empathy processes); (c) enhanced self-control; (d) enhanced capacities for and reliance on rationality in decision making (e.g., intelligence and cognitive-reflection skill); and (e) enhanced reliance on self-presentation tactics that portray an identity based in high levels of integrity.