The dark side of mental toughness: a meta-analysis of the relationship between the dark triad traits and mental toughness.

Introduction: This meta-analysis investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and mental toughness. Previous research has shown mixed results regarding the influence of these traits on mental toughness. The objective of this meta-analysis is to synthesize existing literature and provide a comprehensive understanding of how Dark Triad traits correlate with mental toughness. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 7 databases, Data were extracted by correlation and analyzed using a random-effects model. Results: The results yielding 27 effect sizes with a total of 12,378 participants, revealed a significant moderate positive association between narcissism and mental toughness (r = 0.327, p < 0.001), suggesting that individuals with higher levels of narcissism tend to exhibit greater mental toughness. However, no significant associations were found between Machiavellianism (r = 0.023, p = 0.719) or psychopathy (r = -0.022, p = 0.625) and mental toughness. Discussion: The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the Dark Triad traits and their differential associations with adaptive psychological constructs, highlighting the unique role of narcissism in mental toughness. This meta-analysis provides valuable insights for future research and practical applications in fostering adaptive aspects of narcissism while mitigating its potential maladaptive consequences.

The Connection Between Dark Traits and Emotional Intelligence: A Multistudy Person-Centered Approach.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have analyzed the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and dark personality, but the results are inconclusive. One study tested correlations between traits that may underlie a person-centered profile of "dark EI." Our study aimed to replicate and extend that research, identifying profiles in Spaniards and examining the differences between the profiles based on different variables of interest. METHOD: Two studies were designed, the first one (N = 1241) focused on trait EI and the Dark Triad, and the second one expanding the previous (N = 392) focusing on ability EI and the Dark Tetrad. RESULTS: Three profiles were obtained in both studies: nondark and non-EI profile, dark profile, and average narcissistic and high EI profile. The latter showed the highest self-esteem, strengths, well-being, and civic engagement, and the lowest psychological difficulties and personal distress. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reinforced the findings of the study we replicated, not supporting the presence of dark EI, but also not supporting the presence of high EI with very low levels of dark traits. These results have implications when designing preventive actions to improve emotional education.

Makeup Usage in Women Is Positively Associated to Narcissism and Extraversion but Negatively to Psychopathy.

Appearance modification practices are ubiquitous, serving to enhance physical attractiveness and accrue social advantages, including increased desirability as a potential mate. Facial cosmetics are frequently used for appearance modification, yet individual differences in makeup usage remain understudied. While makeup usage in women has been linked to traits like narcissism and extraversion, the broader association with Dark Triad traits and how personality influences makeup application across diverse social contexts were less explored. Here we examined these relationships in 1,410 Brazilian women (Mage = 29.9, SD = 10.35), who completed online Big Five and Dark Triad personality measures, reported their usual makeup usage habits, and detailed their makeup usage across different social scenarios. Results revealed makeup usage was positively associated with narcissism and extraversion, and negatively with psychopathy. Additionally, women used less makeup when alone (at home, exercises) and more in social settings, particularly for the first date. However, women with higher narcissism and neuroticism showed larger differences among low and high makeup usage situations, while individuals with higher psychopathy used makeup in similar frequencies among different situations. Further, (1) overall greater users of makeup scored higher on narcissism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness; (2) average users displayed lower psychopathy; and (3) lesser users reported lower narcissism and higher psychopathy. These findings underscore the nuanced relationship between makeup usage and personality, particularly highlighting the influence of narcissism. These findings contribute to the interplay between personality traits and makeup usage, considering interindividual differences and intraindividual variation in understanding cosmetic behaviors among women.

Machiavellianism and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the size of the relationship between Machiavellianism and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Further, we explored whether the strength of this relationship varied depending on IPV type (i.e., physical, psychological, sexual, and cyber), and perpetrator gender. Systematic searches of Medline Complete, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted on July 4, 2023. Studies were included if they were a peer-reviewed published paper or unpublished dissertation, in English, included a measure of Machiavellianism and IPV perpetration, and reported the relationship between these variables. Study quality was assessed using the AXIS tool. Nineteen studies (N = 9,464) were included in a random-effects meta-analysis revealing a significant, weak, positive correlation between Machiavellianism and IPV perpetration (r = .16, 95% CI [0.11, 0.21], p < .001). Machiavellianism had a significant, weak, positive relationship with cyber (r = .25, 95% CI [0.17, 0.32], p < .001), psychological (r = .20, 95% CI [0.15, 0.24], p < .001), and sexual IPV (r = .10, 95% CI [0.02, 0.19], p = .020). No significant relationship was found for physical IPV. There was no significant difference in the strength of the relationship between women and men. These findings are limited by the measures being self-report, heterogeneity across studies, and the cross-sectional nature of the included studies which limits the understanding of causal pathways. Nonetheless, this meta-analysis shows a link between Machiavellianism and IPV perpetration, and future research should examine how this knowledge may be used to reduce IPV perpetration.

Individual differences in the impostor phenomenon and its relevance in higher education in terms of burnout, generalized anxiety, and fear of failure.

Few theoretical and empirical works have described impostor phenomenon (IP) and no study explored impostorism from a dark perspective. We adopted a person-centered approach to identify clusters of impostors based on scores on the IP, perfectionistic self-presentation and the Dark Triad using a sample of 306 university students (Mage = 22.82). The latent profile analysis suggested a 6-cluster solution, which was further compared in terms of psychopathology symptoms (i.e., burnout, generalized anxiety, and fear of failure) by means of (M)ANOVAs. Our results indicated that impostorism relies on a self-presentation strategy. Moreover, individuals scoring high on IP experienced enhanced levels of psychopathology symptoms. Looking at IP from a continuum perspective might improve our understanding about what makes someone suffer from impostorism.

Exploring the Influence of Dark Triad and Light Triad Traits on Sport Sciences Students.

Background and Objectives: The primary purpose of the article was to examine the relationship between dark and light personality traits in university students enrolled in the Faculty of Sport Sciences. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 518 students (208 female, 310 male) with an average age of 20.89 (±2.25). The Short Dark Triad and the Light Triad Scales were used. Harman's single-factor analysis minimized measurement error, and various statistical methods assessed the effect of gender and age on personality traits. Results: Results indicated a positive correlation among dark personality traits, while light personality traits exhibited more complex relationships. Gender and age were found to significantly influence certain personality traits. Conclusions: This study contributes to the sports literature by exploring the role of demographic variables in personality formation.

Dark triad traits, study and power motives among medical students-A cross-sectional study at a German medical faculty.

Background: A good physician should be empathic and altruistic, among other qualities. Therefore, the levels of socially undesirable personality traits (Dark Triad) as well as implicit motives of achievement, affiliation and power (Multi-Motive Grid) among medical students as future physicians were analyzed at two different points in their medical training. Methods: This study includes 380 medical students in their first year and 217 in their third year in Germany. All participants completed the Dirty Dozen (DD) and Multi-Motive Grid (MMG) questionnaires at the end of two different classes as paper-and-pencil tests. Relevant differences of the Dark Triad traits between the medical students and reference sample and the two different cohorts, as well as their implicit motives, the associations of Dark Triad traits and MMG components and gender differences of the Dark Triad traits were calculated. Results: There were no significant group differences between year one and year three medical students in narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism (Dark Triad). There were no significant differences between the medical students and reference sample except in psychopathy. Male students scored significantly higher in the Dark Triad traits than female students. In the MMG, first-year students scored significantly higher levels in Fear of Rejection, and lower levels in Hope of Success and Hope of Power than the third-year students. Some associations were found between narcissism and Machiavelliansim with Hope of Success, Hope of Power and Fear of power. Conclusions: Dark Triad traits already appear to exist before the commencement of medical studies. These traits do not differ significantly between the medical students and reference sample; only a few MMG components seem to differ at different stages of their studies. This lack of differences between the medical students and validation cohort indicates that tests based on (undesirable) personality traits are not suitable criteria for the admission selection of medical students.

The mediating effects of moral disengagement and aggressive humor style: Dark Triad traits and schadenfreude.

Background: While schadenfreude is commonly experienced in interpersonal relationships, it is generally considered immoral. Although previous research has explored the factors relating to schadenfreude, including certain personality traits, moral disengagement, and humor styles, our understanding of these factors remains limited. The present study examined the mediating effects of moral disengagement and aggressive humor style in the relationship between the Dark Triad traits and schadenfreude. Methods: In this study, a sample of 693 Iranian students (69.4% female), was recruited using a convenient sampling method, consisting of 330 undergraduate, 230 graduate, and 133 Ph.D. students. The trait schadenfreude scale, the short Dark Triad, the moral disengagement scale, and the aggressive humor style scale were measured through an online survey. Results: The study found that Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy were positively related to schadenfreude, aggressive humor style, and moral disengagement. Additionally, aggressive humor style and moral disengagement mediated the relationship between Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy with schadenfreude. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the complex relationships between Dark Triad traits, moral disengagement, aggressive humor style, and schadenfreude. The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of Dark Triad traits may be more likely to experience pleasure from others' misfortunes. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of moral disengagement and aggressive humor style as potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between Dark Triad traits and schadenfreude. Further research should be done to explore the motivational factors influencing schadenfreude in specific settings, thereby elucidating these connections.

Dark triad and knowledge hiding in firms: Mediating role of perceived organizational politics.

Negative behaviors at the workplace always disturb the management of the firms. This research investigates the link between the dark triad and various types of Knowledge hiding (Evasive hiding, Playing dumb, and Rationalized hiding) in firms. In addition, this study explores perceived organizational politics as a mediator. The design of this study is quantitative and positivist. The data were collected in three waves (45 days gap) with a random sampling approach from 383 personnel/staff working in Chinese commercial banking firms. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique and Smartpls-4 software. This study confirms that dark-triad has a positive relation with knowledge hiding, except psychopathy and Machiavellianism, which have no significant correlation with playing dumb and evasive hiding, respectively. Perceived organizational politics significantly mediate the association between dark triad personality traits and the types of knowledge hiding. Employees with political skills and a trust-based culture can counter the dark-triad personalities and discourage the knowledge-hiding culture. For effective management of knowledge-hiding issues in firms, codifying implicit and explicit Knowledge and developing knowledge repositories can discourage a knowledge-hiding culture.

Adaptation of the Short Dark Triad (SD3) to Spanish Adolescents.

(1) Background: The dark triad refers to a personality configuration mainly characterized by the presence of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Even though adolescence is a critical stage in the development of dark triad traits, to date, this construct has not been studied among adolescents, mainly due to the lack of a measurement instrument adapted to this population. (2) Methods: Using a sample of 1642 adolescents, an adaptation of the Short Dark Triad (SD3) is proposed for this population. To this end, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis of the scale and examined its reliability and the intensity of the dark triad components by sex and sexual orientation. (3) Results: The adapted version of the scale (The Short Dark Triad-Adolescent Version; SD3-A) yielded good psychometric results. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the theoretical model of the three factors of dark personality. The results confirmed the greater presence of dark traits in male adolescents, and differences were observed based on sexual orientation. (4) Conclusions: The Short Dark Triad-Adolescent Version (SD3-A) is an effective and comprehensive instrument for the estimation of dark traits in adolescents and can be used as a screening test for this population.

The Importance of Context-Relevance: Entrepreneurial Personality Relates to Entrepreneurial Outcomes Beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad.

Entrepreneurial Personality (EP) is a collection of traits that causes someone to be entrepreneurial, including both an attraction to and success in entrepreneurial activities. Although EP and its inclusion criteria is defined by its relevance to entrepreneurship, research has yet to support that it relates to entrepreneurial outcomes more strongly than extant frameworks of personality, causing uncertainty regarding its theoretical rationale and conceptual foundation. Applying the bandwidth-fidelity dilemma as our theoretical lens, the current article reports two studies to test whether EP relates to entrepreneurial outcomes beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad dimensions. Using a sample of non-business owners, Study 1 supports that EP explains both more variance than and variance beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad in outcomes associated with the earlier phases of the entrepreneurial process, such as entrepreneurial goal setting, goal striving, and goal achievement. Using a sample of business owners, Study 2 supports that EP explains both more variance than and variance beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad in outcomes associated with the later phases of the entrepreneurial process, including entrepreneurial performance and well-being. These results encourage future research on EP by supporting the validity of the personality framework, and we suggest several directions for future research, such as broader applications of the bandwidth-fidelity dilemma.

Theoretical and Empirical Integration of "Dark" Traits and Socially Aversive Personality Psychopathology.

Conceptual work integrating constructs from mainstream personality research (especially so-called "dark" traits) and clinical psychopathology research has been limited. Herein, we propose all socially and/or ethically aversive traits as "flavored" manifestations of the D factor of personality (D). We argue that the D framework provides the commonality of all aversive traits, including the aversive traits from the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD), a more thorough theoretical foundation. Moreover, D covers aspects that are not captured by any of the aversive AMPD traits directly (e.g., greed), thus offering indications for possible expansions to the AMPD. We tested our predictions in two online studies (N = 1,781 and N = 2,006) using quota-representative samples of the German population regarding age and gender. Twelve aversive traits from mainstream personality research and eight aversive AMPD traits were assessed together with consequential behavior in an economic game. Analyses using structural equation modeling overall confirmed predictions.

Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Dark Triad Traits, Sexual Excitation/Inhibition, and Sociosexuality.

The present study sought to investigate sex and sexual orientation differences in several traits related to sexuality and sexual behavior. Examining sexual orientation differences alongside basic sex differences to help identify correlates of sexual orientation diversity, and whether individuals with varying degrees of same-sex attraction show concurrent sex-atypical shifts in other domains. Males tend to score higher than females in the Dark Triad (DT) traits of sub-clinical narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Similarly, females tend to be more cautious than males in their attitudes and desires toward casual sex activity (i.e., sociosexuality). These sex differences may be related to the propensity for individuals to become easily sexually excited, which is higher in males, or to instead inhibit sexual arousal, which is higher in females. In a large undergraduate sample (N = 2047), we replicated expected sex differences in DT traits, sociosexuality, and sexual excitation/inhibition. We found that non-heterosexual females were "male-shifted" in some of these traits, but these shifts tended to be strongest among mostly heterosexual and bisexual individuals. Furthermore, we found that within-sex variation in sociosexuality, sexual excitation, and sexual inhibition was not related to sexual orientation in a linear fashion. Instead, sociosexuality and sexual excitation were related to sexual orientation in a curvilinear (inverted-U) fashion, especially among females. The fact that traits correlated with bisexuality and homosexuality were somewhat distinct is consistent with the idea that different developmental pathways may lead to these discrete sexual attraction patterns.

Pet attachment and owner personality.

Introduction: Research points to a relationship between owner personality and strength of attachment to one's pet, with implications for psychological health. So far, studies in this area, albeit sparse, have focused on the 'Big Five' traits of owner personality. The 'Dark Triad' is a cluster of traits that has also been linked to emotional deficits, but has been overlooked in relation to pet attachment. This study therefore examined the association between owner personality and pet attachment, focusing on both the 'Big Five' and 'Dark Triad' traits of personality. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed to collect quantitative data from dog and cat owners across the globe between May-June 2023. A purpose-designed online survey collected sociodemographic details, along with information on pet ownership, strength of the pet-owner bond and participant personality, assessed using the Big Five personality scale and the Short Dark Triad scale. The survey was fully completed by 759 dog and 179 cat owners. Results: Analysis revealed significant correlations between many of the participants' personality traits, both within and between scales. Strength of pet attachment was positively correlated with neuroticism and conscientiousness, and, more weakly, to Machiavellianism. Regression analysis revealed that females, dog owners, people over the age of 50 and individuals who had children under 18 years to care for were more strongly attached to their pets than others. Both neuroticism and conscientiousness were found to be significant predictors of participants' pet attachment scores. None of the Dark Triad traits significantly predicted the criterion. Discussion: This study points to a relationship between strength of attachment to one's pet and owner personality, at least as measured using the Big Five approach to personality assessment. There was little to support an association between the Dark Triad traits and strength of attachment to one's pet, although the link between these characteristics and attachment styles is still unknown. The investigation lends support for the idea that high attachment levels are associated with personality traits aligned to psychological ill-health. Further work is recommended in this area, with a greater focus on both strength and quality (e.g., attachment style) of the pet-owner bond.

Emophilia: psychometric properties of the emotional promiscuity scale and its association with personality traits, unfaithfulness, and romantic relationships in a Scandinavian sample.

Emophilia is a suggested stable phenomenon referring to how often and easily an individual falls in love (Jones, 2011). The current study investigated the psychometric properties of the Emotional Promiscuity Scale (EPS, i.e., a measure of emophilia) and its association with personality traits, romantic relationships, and unfaithfulness in a Scandinavian sample. The sample consisted of 2,607 participants, who were recruited through Norwegian and Swedish newspapers. Descriptive analyses of the EPS and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the previously obtained two-factor structure were conducted. Correlations between emophilia and the Big Five and Dark Triad traits were calculated to investigate the discriminative validity of the EPS. Lastly, negative binomial regression analyses were run in which emophilia comprised the independent variable and the number of romantic relationships and number of times being unfaithful constituted the dependent variables. The EPS had satisfactory internal reliability and the responses to the items were normally distributed. The CFA indicated a two-factor structure, although the two factors correlated highly, justifying collapsing them into one dimension. Emophilia showed satisfactory discriminant validity (r < 00.40) against the personality traits included. Lastly, emophilia was positively associated with the number of romantic relationships and times being unfaithful. Future research should aim to improve our understanding of the psychological and behavioral aspects of emophilia.

Men with high dark triad personality traits can accurately infer dark triad traits from other people's faces.

Introduction: The literature suggests that people can accurately infer dark triad (DT) personality traits from other peoples' faces. Using a self-report scale, this study investigated the impact of participants' DT personality traits on their ability to accurately infer other peoples' DT traits from facial cues. Methods: We created composite facial photographs of Japanese people with varying Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism scores. The Japanese participants (N = 170) assessed these three DT traits in the facial photographs and completed a questionnaire that assessed their own DT traits. Results: The results indicated that the participants could accurately infer all three DT traits from female faces but not from male faces. Male participants showed a positive correlation between accurate inferences of other men's Machiavellianism and their own DT traits. In contrast, female participants showed a negative correlation between correct inferences of men's DT traits and their own DT traits. Discussion: These findings offer novel insights into human evolutionary and social adaptations.

The Gray Nine and Parallel Personality Patterns: Big Five, Dark Tetrad, and a "Well-Rounded Personality".

The vast literature on personality psychology generally focuses on neutral or socially beneficial personality traits such as the Five-Factor model (e.g., agreeableness, conscientiousness) or "dark" traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism. However, the current synthesis of the literature indicates that the distinction between benign, malign, and neutral personality traits and facets is partly misguided. In fact, there are many objective and subjective measures that indicate that high agreeableness is not beneficial, while moderate grandiose narcissism is. Many, if not all of the traits are rather gray and socially and personally desired outcomes indicate that people who aim for a well-rounded personality should typically be clustered in the middle of the various personality spectrums. In addition, many of the personality traits are characterized by parallel patterns of good/bad relations to social and personal outcomes.

Those who (enjoy to) hurt: The influence of dark personality traits on animal- and human directed sadistic pleasure.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sadistic pleasure - gratuitous enjoyment from inflicting pain on others - has devastating interpersonal and societal consequences. The current knowledge on non-sexual, everyday sadism - a trait that resides within the general population - is scarce. The present study therefore focussed on personality correlates of sadistic pleasure. It investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad traits, and both dispositional and state-level sadistic pleasure. METHODS: N = 120 participants filled out questionnaires to assess their level of Dark Triad traits, psychopathy subfactors, and dispositional sadism. Then, participants engaged in an animal-directed task in which they were led to believe that they were killing bugs; and in a human-directed task where they could ostensibly noise blasts another participant. The two behavioral tasks were administered within-subjects, in randomized order. Sadistic pleasure was captured by increases in reported pleasure from pre-to post-task. RESULTS: All Dark Triad traits related to increased dispositional sadism, with psychopathy showing the strongest link. The coldheartedness psychopathy subscale showed a unique combination with both self-reported sadism and increased pleasure following bug grinding. LIMITATIONS: Predominantly female and student sample, limiting generalizability of findings. CONCLUSIONS: Out of all Dark Triad components, psychopathy showed the strongest link with gaining pleasure from hurting others. The results underscore the differential predictive value of psychopathy's subcomponents for sadistic pleasure. Coldheartedness can be considered especially disturbing because of its unique relationship to deriving joy from irreversible harm-infliction (i.e. killing bugs). Our findings further establish psychopathy - and especially its coldheartedness component - as the most adverse Dark Triad trait.

Personality Traits, Ideology, and Attitudes Toward LGBT People: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review investigates the existing literature regarding personality traits, ideology, gender roles, and attitudes toward LGBT people. The review was conducted through PubMed and Web of Science databases. After establishing inclusion- and exclusion criteria, 12 studies published between 2013 and 2023 were reviewed, three themes (personality traits, gender roles and differences, and political ideology) were identified through thematic analysis. Several of the studies reported a relation between the personality traits Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, and homo- and transnegative attitudes. In particular, lower levels of Agreeableness, high levels of Conscientiousness, and lower levels of Extraversion were related to prejudice. The Dark Triad, especially the antagonistic traits Psychopathy and Machiavellianism, had a strong association with homo- and transnegativity. Multiple studies showed a connection between negative attitudes and ideological views. Especially right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) were strong predictors of negative attitudes toward LGBT people. The majority of the studies also reported a significant gender difference in attitudes, with men being more prone to exhibit prejudice toward LGBT people than women. There are practical implications of this review relating to interventions which may target the prevention of homo and trans-negative attitudes, promoting inclusion and integration.

Understanding the dark side of personality in sex offenders considering the level of sexual violence.

This study examined the relationship between the actual level of physical violence in sexual offenses and dark triad, empathic and impulsive personality traits of their perpetrators. Sixty-four male perpetrators of sexual offenses without any serious mental illness were included. A 5-point Likert-type coding system based on Violence Profile for Current Offense was applied to assess the severity of physical violence of each sexual offense. Personality traits of dark triad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism), trait empathy and impulsiveness were also evaluated. Multivariate analyses indicated that non-stranger victim, secondary psychopathy, narcissism and empathy could significantly predict greater involvement of physical violence in a sexual offense. In addition, empathy was negatively correlated with all dark triad traits. Sexual violence should be conceptualized in the form of a continuum, and, considering such an approach, offenders with high secondary psychopathy and narcissism may show preference for sexual assaults that are more violent in nature.