TY - JOUR
T1 - “I'll teach you differences”
T2 - Taxometric analysis of the Dark Triad, trait sadism, and the Dark Core of personality
AU - Tran, Ulrich S.
AU - Bertl, Bianca
AU - Kossmeier, Michael
AU - Pietschnig, Jakob
AU - Stieger, Stefan
AU - Voracek, Martin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/5/1
Y1 - 2018/5/1
N2 - The Dark Triad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) is widely considered conceptually important for individual differences research into personality and interpersonal behavior. Recent research suggests to add trait sadism to its defining constructs (i.e., to form a Dark Tetrad), and that a single common dimension (the Dark Core) underlies these dark personality traits. Taxometric studies suggest the Dark Triad traits are dimensional (i.e., quantitative), but investigations on the facet level are lacking and sex differences in dark personality traits have not been considered. Utilizing widely-used scales, this study investigated the Dark Triad traits, sadism, as well as the Dark Core of personality, with taxometric methods on both the aggregate and facet level and separately among men and women (total N = 2463, 56% women, mean age: 41.4 years). Dark personality traits mostly were dimensional, on both the aggregate and the facet level, and for both sexes. The Dark Core appeared to be taxonic among men, but dimensional among women. Taxon members were characterized by uniformly elevated dark personality traits and younger age. Future studies might profitably investigate the incremental predictive validity of this identified taxon and focus on further sex differences in dark personality traits.
AB - The Dark Triad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) is widely considered conceptually important for individual differences research into personality and interpersonal behavior. Recent research suggests to add trait sadism to its defining constructs (i.e., to form a Dark Tetrad), and that a single common dimension (the Dark Core) underlies these dark personality traits. Taxometric studies suggest the Dark Triad traits are dimensional (i.e., quantitative), but investigations on the facet level are lacking and sex differences in dark personality traits have not been considered. Utilizing widely-used scales, this study investigated the Dark Triad traits, sadism, as well as the Dark Core of personality, with taxometric methods on both the aggregate and facet level and separately among men and women (total N = 2463, 56% women, mean age: 41.4 years). Dark personality traits mostly were dimensional, on both the aggregate and the facet level, and for both sexes. The Dark Core appeared to be taxonic among men, but dimensional among women. Taxon members were characterized by uniformly elevated dark personality traits and younger age. Future studies might profitably investigate the incremental predictive validity of this identified taxon and focus on further sex differences in dark personality traits.
KW - Dark Core
KW - Dark Triad
KW - Machiavellianism
KW - Narcissism
KW - Psychopathy
KW - Sadism
KW - Sex differences
KW - Taxometric analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044476683&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2018.01.015
DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2018.01.015
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85044476683
SN - 0191-8869
VL - 126
SP - 19
EP - 24
JO - Personality and Individual Differences
JF - Personality and Individual Differences
ER -