Beyond the big five as predictors of dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at: The HEXACO model and the dark triad

Abstract

Torres-Mar ın, J., Proyer, R. T., L opez-Ben ıtez, R., Brauer, K., & Carretero-Dios, H. (2019). Beyond the big five as predictors of dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at: The HEXACO model and the dark triad. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 60, 473-483.We aimed to extend research on dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at by testing the localization of the fear of (gelotophobia) and the joy in (gelotophilia) being laughed at, and the joy in laughing at others (katagelasticism) in the HEXACO model and the Dark Triad traits (both have not been examined so far). Study 1 (HEXACO model: N = 216) showed that gelotophobia was related to low extraversion, high emotionality, and low honestyhumility; gelotophilia to high extraversion and high openness to experience; and katagelasticism to low agreeableness and low honesty-humility. These results were similar to prior findings based on the Five-Factor model, and supported the notion that the honesty-humility trait contributes to the prediction of individual differences in gelotophobia and katagelasticism. Study 2 (Dark Triad: N = 204) showed that gelotophobia was related to high Machiavellianism and low narcissism; gelotophilia to high narcissism; and katagelasticism to high psychopathy and high Machiavellianism. These data helped to clarify our findings on the honesty-humility trait, showing that gelotophobes and katagelasticists differ in their socially aversive characteristics. Overall, this research provides empirical evidence that dark (but subclinical) traits can be seen as relevant personality predictors of how people deal with laughter and ridicule.

Development and validation of the good and evil character traits (GECT) scale

“…Both UAPs and UCPs are heterogeneous and multidimensional (Tortoriello & Hart, 2019). Moreover, good and evil characters espouse different help strategies and different prediction models of other dispositions (Torres‐Marín, Proyer, López‐Benítez, Brauer and Carretero‐Dios, 2019; Tortoriello & Hart, 2019). Therefore, the structure of the GECT scale provided more information about the relationship between good and evil characters from the perspective of measurement.…”

Fear of being laughed at in Italian healthcare workers: Testing associations with humor styles and coping humor

“…However, further work on the external validity is desirable. For example, testing associations with broad personality traits such as the Big Five or HEXACO traits (see e.g., Torres-Marín et al, 2019 , in press ) and narrow constructs (e.g., romantic and parental attachment styles; see Brauer et al, 2020 ; Canestrari et al, 2019 , 2021 ; Canestrari, Bongelli, et al, 2021 ) but also with the two other dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at; namely, joy in being laughed at (gelotophilia) and joy in laughing at others (katagelasticism; Ruch & Proyer, 2009a ). 3 Finally, it would be desirable to examine the predictive validity of the Italian GELOPH < 15 > by testing relations with more objective criteria such as external diagnoses of gelotophobia (Ruch & Proyer, 2008b ), daily diary data on gelotophobic behaviors (cf.…”

Testing the associations between dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at and romantic jealousy in couples: An APIM analysis

“…It has also been theoretically and psychometrically distinguished from potentially related constructs, such as fear of negative evaluation and social phobia (e.g., Carretero‐Dios et al., 2010; Edwards et al., 2010; Forabosco et al, 2009; Ruch & Proyer, 2008b). When localizing gelotophobia in broad personality systems, associations with Neuroticism, low Extraversion, low honesty‐humility, and higher scores in older clinically oriented scales of psychoticism have been reported (e.g., Ruch & Proyer, 2009b; Torres‐Marín et al., 2019).…”

“…Gelotophilia is negatively related to gelotophobia ( r s around −.30) but they are not redundant or negative poles of the same dimension (e.g., Ruch & Proyer, 2009a). Joy in being laughed at relates to Extraversion and emotional stability (e.g., Ruch et al., 2013; Torres‐Marín et al., 2019).…”

“…While katagelasticism relates to gelotophilia positively, it is unrelated to gelotophobia (e.g., Ruch & Proyer, 2009a). Katagelasticism relates to low Agreeableness and honesty‐humility (e.g., Torres‐Marín et al., 2019). It also relates to the so‐called “dark” traits, such as psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and manipulative tendencies, whereas gelotophobia and gelotophilia are widely unrelated to those maladaptive characteristics (Proyer et al., 2012; Torres‐Marín et al., 2019).…”