Reducing the Overlap Between Machiavellianism and Subclinical Psychopathy: The M7 and P7 Scales

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.

Motive-Specific Affective Contingencies and Their Relevance for Personality and Motivated Behavior

Individuals differ in the tendency to derive pleasure out of motive-specific incentives, such as being socially included or attaining power. Multiple theoretical approaches have proposed that such motive-specific positive affective contingencies (PACs) are central building blocks of motive dispositions and personality more broadly. In the current research, we put this claim to test and investigated individual differences with regard to motive-specific PACs in the affiliation and power domains. We measured PACs via spontaneous emotional reactions to motive-specific cues, as assessed by affect ratings and electromyographic (EMG) recordings of smile responses. Both of these PAC operationalizations were highly internally consistent and moderately to highly stable across time. Furthermore, motive-specific PACs were linked in a manner consistent with theory to measures of motive dispositions and to personality traits with motivational underpinnings (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, and narcissism). Finally, in the affiliation domain, motive-specific PACs were linked to objectively assessed, key motivational outcomes (i.e., attentional orientation, behavior in daily life, and in the laboratory). Taken together, the findings underscore the relevance of affective contingencies for the understanding of personality and motivated behavior.

Die Dunkle Triade in einer deutschen repräsentativen Stichprobe

Zusammenfassung. Die „Niederträchtigen Neun“ ist eine psychometrisch optimierte deutsche Version des „Dreckigen Dutzends“ zur Erfassung der Dunklen Triade. In dieser Studie betrachten wir diverse psychometrische Eigenschaften der Niederträchtigen Neun mit einer repräsentativen deutschen Stichprobe. Es wurden verschiedene Faktorstrukturen miteinander verglichen sowie Messinvarianzanalysen über das Geschlecht und über das Alter anhand von konfirmatorischen Faktoranalysen und lokal gewichteten Strukturgleichungsmodellen durchgeführt. Außerdem stellen wir Normwerte zur individualdiagnostischen Interpretation von Rohwerten zur Verfügung. Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Niederträchtigen Neun durch Bifaktor-Modelle mit Machiavellismus als inhaltlicher Anker des allgemeinen Faktors (dem „dunklen Kern“) am besten repräsentiert wird. Über das Geschlecht ergaben sich Einschränkungen der metrischen Invarianz, die hauptsächlich auf Indikatoren von Psychopathie zurückzuführen sind. Partielle metrische Invarianz konnte jedoch belegt werden. Über das Alter konnte metrische Invarianz belegt werden, jedoch ergaben sich Einschränkungen der skalaren und strikten Invarianz. Implikationen für die Erfassung der Dunklen Triade mit der Niederträchtigen Neun oder dem Dreckigen Dutzend werden diskutiert.

Measurement Invariance of the Short Dark Tetrad Across Cultures and Genders

Abstract. The last two decades revealed a plethora of scientific examinations on the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism) and Dark Tetrad traits (Dark Triad + sadism) in a variety of contexts. Short scales for the assessment of these traits have been very influential and widely used. Building upon previous research, the 28-item Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) was introduced as a measure for the assessment of the Dark Tetrad traits. A recent study found that the SD4 is invariant across genders, but little is known concerning invariance across cultures. Therefore, we tested measurement invariance (MI) between German and US participants. Additionally, we replicated extant findings on MI across genders. The analyses suggested configural MI across cultures, metric MI between genders in a US sample, and scalar MI across genders in a German sample. To address that the SD4 revealed only a modest fit in the samples, we further computed Exploratory Structural Equation Models. Those were mostly consistent with the original model structure and indicated that adding marginal cross-loadings among the factors accounts for enhanced model fit. Possible explanations for the findings related to MI were discussed.

Bad Is Stronger Than Good

Abstract. Organizational scholars increasingly realize the importance of a dark personality in the workplace. Although a great deal has been learned in terms of the utility of dark personality for the prediction of workplace outcomes, the field has yet to consolidate in terms of which models and measures best reflect the nature of dark personality traits. To facilitate this discussion, the present review examines and evaluates both established and emergent models and measures of dark personality. Further, to inform future research, it also summarizes evidence concerning methodological issues that have been shown to impact levels of dark traits or to moderate their relationships with work outcomes. Finally, the paper considers the implications of widespread practices in the field of dark personality and makes recommendations for future theorizing, research practices, and implementation.

The Nomological Network of the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4)

Abstract. The present study examined the nomological network of the Short Dark Tetrad scale (SD4). The SD4 measures narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism. We translated the original English SD4 into German and used an online sample ( N = 594, 77% women) to investigate its nomological network with regard to the Big Five, honesty-humility, maladaptive personality traits, impulsivity, aggression, motives, values, sociosexual orientation, the octants of the interpersonal circumplex model, and self-esteem. The overall profile similarities between the observed and hypothesized nomological networks were very high. Few correlations differed concerning direction or magnitude. Hence, our study extends the nomological network of the Dark Tetrad in a meaningful way and suggests that the SD4 can be validly interpreted and used for the assessment of narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism.