Quick and Dirty: Some Psychosocial Costs Associated with the Dark Triad in Three Countries

Abstract

The current study provides the first examination of the relationship between life history indicators and the Dark Triad traits in an international sample drawn from the U.S. (n = 264), Singapore (n = 185), and Poland (n = 177). In all three samples, the Dark Triad traits were associated with psychosocial costs, although there were more links in the Singaporean and Polish samples than in the American sample. In the U.S., the quality of one's romantic relationships and psychopathy were negatively correlated. Narcissism was higher in the Polish and American samples than in the Singaporean sample. Men scored higher than women did regardless of location and the sex difference in the individual differences in life histories was mediated by the Dark Triad composite. Results suggest the Dark Triad are related to a volatile socioecology composed of psychosocial costs in the familial, romantic, and platonic relationships.

Measures of Dark Personalities

“…Intercorrelations ranging from .34 to .76 have been reported (Jonason, Li, & Czarna, 2013). Intercorrelations ranging from .34 to .76 have been reported (Jonason, Li, & Czarna, 2013).…”

Birds of a “bad” feather flock together: The Dark Triad and mate choice

“…In addition, there is good reason to think the sex of the participant might be an important factor in understanding mate choice (Buss & Schmitt, 1993) and the Dark Triad traits (Jonason, Li, & Czarna, 2013). Men may pay fewer costs and reap more benefits for engaging in risk-taking, including short-term mating which is associated with the Dark Triad traits.…”

Relationships between the Dark Triad and Delayed Gratification: An Evolutionary Perspective

“…Machiavellianism is associated with emotional deficits, including empathy and emotional intelligence (Ali et al, 2009;Jonason et al, 2013c;Petrides et al, 2011;Wai & Tiliopoulos, 2012), such that high Machiavellian individuals are unable to attribute emotions and mental states to others. While there are many conceptual similarities between Machiavellianism and psychopathy (McHoskey et al, 1998), they may differ in terms of their strategies for goal attainment.…”