Machiavellianism in Universities: Perceiving Exploitation in Student Networks

Abstract

Aim of this article is to examine parameters and types of Machiavellian behavior among students in selected departments. Social network analysis, bivariate analysis and principal component analysis have been implemented. A total sample of 27 students of Business Administration dept. (Thessaly University of Applied Sciences), 63 students of Veterinary dept. and 57 students of Physical Education dept. (University of Thessaly) has been analyzed. Selected results: Male students tend to regard more students as Machiavellians. Female students seem to be more willing to harm others. Male ones are more willing to exploit weaknesses. Tall or heavy students are regarded as quite Machiavellians. Students of urban origin or rich enough seem to adopt a relatively innocent view. Using internet is regarded as an evidence of Machiavellianism. To select friends by appreciating their knowledge capacity is considered to be unrelated to Machiavellianism. Two types of students who are targeted for Machiavellian practices are demarcated: a) "full target" and b) "beneficial target". Two types of Machiavellian students appear: a) "full Machiavellian" and b) "ruthless". A mixed typology of victims and Machiavellians reveals: a) a "targeting and targeted" type, b) a "full target", c) a "beneficial target" and d) a "ruthless". In general, the Machiavellianism seems to be either a generalized strategy or a quite specific one.

Analyzing Social Networks of Destructive Behaviours in Universities/Analizando las redes sociales de comportamientos destructivos en las universidades

“…Especially, Machiavellianism seems also to be regenerated through observational patterns. Similar research has been carried out (Bekiari & Spanou, 2017;Spanou, Bekiari, & Theocharis, in press).…”

“…Questions relevant to verbal aggressiveness, bullying and Machiavellianism were converted from psychometric into network form (Infante & Wigley, 1986;Espelage & Holt, 2001;Dahling, Whitaker & Levy, 2009). Tested questionnaires contained network variables (verbal aggressiveness, bullying and Machiavellianism structures) which were measured as network indicators (centralities) (Hasanagas & Bekiari, 2015;Bekiari, Pachi, & Hasanagas, 2017;Bekiari & Spanou, 2017;Spanou, Bekiari, & Theocharis, in press). The questionnaires had to be named, so as the nodes (students) of a network to be recognizable for carrying out complete network analysis.…”

“…Considering that Machiavellian relations in a university students' class (social network) shape certain hierarchies where each student can cover a scale from high to low victimization. Therefore, a holistic exploration of Machiavellian behaviour as a structural phenomenon can be emerged via the approach of a complete network analysis (Bekiari & Spanou, 2017). A further challenge would be not just a structural approach based on additional network samples and the examination of possible of Machiavellianism with other destructive behaviours such as verbal aggressiveness and bullying.…”

Leadership Style, Machiavellianism and Fair Play at the School: Interaction of Instructors and Students in Physical Education

“…Moreover, the present findings are in accordance with [9] which supported that autocratic leadership style mainly appeared in male rather than in female. It was presented D. Bardas that male students had a predisposition that appraises more the Machiavellianism in connection with female students as and in our study [43]. Female students had higher scores than male students on deceiving and in impression management that have relation with Machiavellianism of median age 20 years old [44].…”

Insights to Argumentativeness in Relation to Leadership Style and Job Satisfaction: Using Employees’ Sport Organizations as an Illustration

“…It has been argued that the instructors' communication with their trainees has a noticeable effect on the learning process as well as a significant interaction with possible aggressiveness (Bekiari, 2012;2017b;Bekiari, Deliligka, & Hasanagas, 2017;Bekiari, Deliligka, & Koustelios, 2016;Bekiari, Digelidis, & Sakellariou, 2006;2016a,b,c;Bekiari, Hasanagas, Theoharis, Kefalas, & Vasilou, 2015;Bekiari, Kokaridas, & Sakellariou, 2005;2006;Bekiari, Patsiaouras, Kokaridas, & Sakellariou, 2006;Bekiari, Koustelios, & Sakellariou, 2000;Bekiari, Nikolaidou, & Hasanagas, 2017;Bekiari, Pachi, & Hasanagas, 2017;Bekiari & Sakellariou, 2003;Bekiari & Spanou, 2018;Hasanagas, Bekiari, & Vasilos, 2017;Manoli & Bekiari, 2015;Myers & Claus, 2012;Theoharis, Bekiari, & Koustelios, 2017). Argumentativeness is considered to be a cognitive skill which is necessary for a thinking person and thus for our contemporary culture (Kuhn & Crowell, 2011;Osborne, 2010) impacting positively in human communication (Goodboy & Myers, 2012).…”