scholarly journals Personality Goes a Long Way (for Some). An Experimental Investigation Into Candidate Personality Traits, Voters’ Profile, and Perceived Likeability

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Nai ◽  
Jürgen Maier ◽  
Jug Vranić
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Political Representation ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Political Candidates ◽  
The Public ◽  
Candidate Evaluations ◽  
Candidate Personality

The personality traits of political candidates, and the way these are perceived by the public at large, matter for political representation and electoral behavior. Disentangling the effects of partisanship and perceived personality on candidate evaluations is however notoriously a tricky business, as voters tend to evaluate the personality of candidates based on their partisan preferences. In this article we tackle this issue via innovative experimental data. We present what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first study that manipulates the personality traits of a candidate and assesses its subsequent effects. The design, embedded in an online survey distributed to a convenience sample of US respondents (MTurk, N = 1,971), exposed respondents randomly to one of eight different “vignettes” presenting personality cues for a fictive candidate - one vignette for each of the five general traits (Big Five) and the three “nefarious” traits of the Dark Triad. Our results show that 1) the public at large dislikes “dark” politicians, and rate them significantly and substantially lower in likeability; 2) voters that themselves score higher on “dark” personality traits (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism) tend to like dark candidates, in such a way that the detrimental effect observed in general is completely reversed for them; 3) the effects of candidates’ personality traits are, in some cases, stronger for respondents displaying a weaker partisan attachment.

scholarly journals The interplay of gaming disorder, gaming motivations, and the dark triad

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 491-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai Yen Tang ◽  
Felix Reer ◽  
Thorsten Quandt
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Online Gambling ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Core Concepts ◽  
Gaming Motivations

AbstractBackground and aimsThere is a considerable amount of research on the psychological antecedents and outcomes of gaming disorder. Although many studies have examined various personality traits or motivations as predictors in isolation, fewer studies have investigated the mediations between personality traits and motivations. Furthermore, the analyzed personality traits have been limited to a few core concepts, with the Big Five personality traits being a standard model in this context. However, more recently the dark triad of personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) has been found to be associated with various forms of problematic online behavior and usage, such as online gambling, yet little is known about gaming disorder. The current study examines the relationship of these dark personality traits to gaming disorder with three gaming motivations (achievement, social, and escapism) as mediators.MethodThe study uses an online survey of 1,502 German digital game users.ResultsResults indicate a fully mediated association for narcissism via escapism and partial mediation associations for Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Direct effects on gaming disorder were observed for Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Indirect effects by psychopathy were observed via escapism and social motivation, by narcissism via escapism, and by Machiavellianism via social motivation.Discussion and conclusionsThese findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of the mediation of gaming motivations and the dark triad personality traits' importance for gaming disorder.

scholarly journals Physician related barriers towards insulin therapy at primary care centres in Trinidad: a cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shastri Motilal
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Insulin Therapy ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Public

Abstract Background Physician related factors with respect to insulin therapy can contribute to diabetes mellitus (DM) mismanagement. Patient related factors have been previously explored in a Trinidad survey. The main objective of this study was to explore primary care physicians’ (PCPs) related barriers towards insulin therapy. Methods A cross-sectional study on a convenience sample of PCPs in the public primary care system was done using an online survey. Results Of the 170 PCPs contacted, 75 (44%) responded. There were 47 females (62.7%) and 28 males (37.3%) with a mean age of 35.9 yrs. Nearly 40% of physicians admitted that the education given to patients was inadequate to allow initiation of insulin therapy. Half the respondents admitted to insufficient consultation times and inadequate appointment frequency to allow for intensification of insulin therapy. Forty percent of PCPs admitted that HbA1c results were unavailable to guide their management decisions. Only 6.7% of physicians said they had access to rapid acting insulin, while 5.3% said they had access to insulin pens. Conclusion PCPs in Trinidad treating diabetes at the public primary care clinics face several barriers in administering proper insulin therapy. Addressing these factors can improve glycemic control in this population.

Do Top Managers’ Individual Characteristics Affect Accounting Manipulation in the Public Sector?

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Anessi-Pessina ◽  
Mariafrancesca Sicilia
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Financial Data ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
Upper Echelons ◽  
The Public ◽  
Upper Echelons Theory ◽  
Top Managers

Abstract Drawing on upper echelons theory, the article investigates the potential impact of top managers’ background and demographic characteristics and personality traits on organizational decisions in the public sector. The top-management figure being investigated is the municipal chief financial officer (CFO) and the specific organizational decision under analysis is the extent of revenue misrepresentation during both budget formulation and execution. The empirical setting is provided by the CFOs of Italian municipalities with populations above 15,000 over a 3-year period (2012–14). Financial data are drawn from existing databases. Non-financial data are collected through an online survey. The results show that top managers’ individual characteristics and traits do influence the extent of accounting manipulation. In particular, revenue misrepresentation was found to be smaller in the presence of female managers, managers with degrees in business administration, and managers describing themselves as “conscientious”. These effects on accounting manipulation were moderated by auditors’ and opposition councilors’ oversight, managers’ experience, and the presence of local elections. The article extends upper echelons theory and its applications in several directions: from the private to the public context, from CEOs to CFOs, from managerial decisions in general to accounting choices, and from background and demographic variables to personality traits.

scholarly journals The association between problematic social networking site use, dark triad traits, and emotion dysregulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaheer Hussain ◽  
Elisa Wegmann ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Site Use ◽  
Share Information

Abstract Background Social networking sites (SNSs) allow people to socially connect with each other, collaborate, and share information. However, problematic SNS use (PSNSU) may be associated with negative personality traits. The present study investigated the associations between PSNSU, dark triad personality traits, and emotion dysregulation. Method In the present study, 555 SNS users (Mage = 33.32 years, SD = 10.88) completed an online survey comprising measures of PSNSU, dark triad personality traits, and emotion dysregulation. Results Bivariate correlations showed that PSNSU was significantly associated with dark triad traits as well as emotion dysregulation. Structural equation modelling (where the effect of the dark triad traits on PSNSU was mediated by emotion dysregulation) showed that 33.5% of the variance of PSNSU was explained by Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. Conclusion The findings provide suggestive evidence of why PSNSU may occur as a function of the presence of dark triad traits and emotion dysregulation. The study also highlighted the important role that emotion regulation plays in the association between dark triad traits and PSNSU.

scholarly journals The Dark Triad of personality and attitudes toward cognitive enhancement

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Mayor ◽  
Maxime Daehne ◽  
Renzo Bianchi
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Cognitive Enhancement ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
The Public ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Trait Competitiveness

Abstract Background Cognitive enhancement (CE) refers to the voluntary improvement of human cognitive capabilities. Few studies have examined the general attitude of the public towards CE. Such studies have suggested that the use of CE is considered largely unacceptable by the public. In parallel, past research indicates that individuals scoring high on the Dark Triad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and competitiveness have atypical views of ethical questions. In this study, we examined (a) whether attitudes towards CE are associated with individual differences in the Dark Triad of personality as well as in trait and contextual competitiveness and (b) whether the Dark Triad moderates the effect of trait and contextual competitiveness on attitudes towards CE. Method US employees (N = 326) were recruited using Mechanical Turk. Participants completed a web survey. Data were analyzed by means of (robust) hierarchical regression and (robust) ANCOVAs. Results The Dark Triad of personality and one of its subscales, Machiavellianism, predicted positive attitudes towards CE. Neither trait competitiveness nor contextual competitiveness were linked to general attitudes towards CE, but the DT was a positive moderator of the association between contextual competitiveness and positive attitudes. Conclusion Our findings extend the incipient knowledge about the factors relating to favourable views of CE by highlighting the role of dark personality traits in shaping such views. Our study further shows contextual factors can play a differentiated role with respect to such attitudes depending upon dark personality traits. Implications for policy-making are discussed.

Tales From the Dark Side: The Dark Tetrad of Personality, Supernatural, and Scientific Belief

2021 ◽  
pp. 002216782110006
Author(s):  
Malcolm B. Schofield ◽  
Ben L. H. Roberts ◽  
Caroline A. Harvey ◽  
Ian S. Baker ◽  
Gemma Crouch
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Attribution Theory ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Just World ◽  
Paranormal Belief ◽  
Significant Relationships

Theories such as the psychodynamic functions hypothesis, attribution theory, and the just world theory have been used to explain different types of supernatural belief. This study aims to examine “dark” personality traits and how they link to different beliefs using the Dark Tetrad. The Dark Tetrad” comprises narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism. Relationships have been found between dark personality traits and religious belief, but no studies have examined the Dark Triad or Tetrad and paranormal and scientific belief directly. An opportunity sample of 199 participants completed an online survey including scales measuring Dark Tetrad traits, religious and paranormal belief, and belief in science. Path analysis revealed five significant relationships. Belief in psychokinesis was negatively related to Machiavellianism, as was belief in common paranormal perceptions, which was also positively related to psychopathy. Religious belief was negatively related to psychopathy but positively related to sadism. Findings suggest some links between Dark Tetrad traits and elements of supernatural belief. The unexpected positive relationship between religiosity and sadism indicate that religious believers believe in a just world where people get what they deserve. These findings indicate that religious and paranormal experience, and dark personality are avenues for future research.

Super-Men and Wonder-Women: The Relationship between the Acceptance of Trans- and Posthumanistic Self-Enhancement, Personality, and Values

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Schönthaler ◽  
Gabriela Hofer ◽  
Sandra Grinschgl ◽  
Aljoscha Neubauer
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
General Factor ◽  
Vulnerable Narcissism ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
The Relationship

Background and aim. Due to ongoing technological innovations, trans- and posthumanistic self-enhancement strategies are publicly discussed, researched from different perspectives, and part of ethical debates. However, only few studies investigated the acceptance of these strategies and its relationship with personality traits and values. The present study investigated to what extent people accept different enhancement strategies and whether acceptance can be predicted by Big Five and Dark Triad traits, vulnerable narcissism, and values. Methods. In an online survey (N = 450), we measured personality traits and values with German questionnaires. Moreover, participants read scenarios about enhancement strategies and answered questions about their acceptance of these scenarios. Results. Factor analysis indicated a general factor of acceptance across scenarios. Correlation analyses showed that high agreeableness, agreeableness-compassion, conscientiousness, conscientiousness-industriousness, and conservation- and self-transcendence values are related to less acceptance of self-enhancement. Moreover, individuals high on Dark Triad traits, vulnerable narcissism, and self-enhancement values exhibit more acceptance. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that said values and Big Five traits explained unique variance in the acceptance of self-enhancement. Conclusion. These findings highlight the importance of considering personality and values when investigating transhumanistic self-enhancement and support policymaking in creating guidelines for enhancement usage.

The impact of general police officer outlooks on their attitudes toward body-worn cameras

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-467
Author(s):  
Scott W. Phillips ◽  
Dae-Young Kim ◽  
Joseph Gramaglia
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officer ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
Officer Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe past five years have seen a growth in studies of police body-worn cameras (BWCs). A large share of the research focused on individual officer attitudes toward these new law enforcement tools. The scholarship, however, focused almost exclusively on their positive and negative perceptions of body cameras or correlations between those attitudes and general officer characteristics. This study examined whether the influence of negative or “concerning” policing attitudes toward body cameras is mediated by other variables, such as officer outlooks toward law enforcement, officers' perceptions of citizen cooperation or their opinions of the public.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was distributed to a convenience sample of police offices from two Northeastern police agencies.FindingsFindings indicate that the relationship between experience and concerning perceptions of body cameras is mediated by distrust in citizens and perceived civilian cooperation. Further, an office's outlooks regarding aggressive law enforcement tactics do not have a direct effect on concerning perceptions of body cameras, nor do they serve as a mediator between years of experience and concerning perceptions of body cameras.Originality/valueFindings uncover the nuance and complexity of studying and understanding police officer outlooks and perceptions of BWCs. Future experimental designs should include general outlook measures.

scholarly journals The Appraisal and Endorsement of Individual and Public Preventive Measures to Combat COVID-19 and the Associated Psychological Predictors among Chinese Living in Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 592-599
Author(s):  
Ling Na ◽  
Lixia Yang ◽  
Linke Yu ◽  
Kathryn Bolton ◽  
Weiguo Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Mainland Chinese ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Individual Measure ◽  
Lower Education

Aims: The study examines the factors related to the appraisal and adherence of the individual and public health preventive measures. Background: The effectiveness of the measures battling the pandemic was largely determined by the voluntary compliance of the public. Objectives: This study aimed to identify psychological perception factors related to the appraisal of individual measures and endorsement of public health measures during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese living in Canada. Methods: A convenience sample of 656 participants completed an online survey. Nonparametric Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare COVID perception variables (e.g., perceived susceptibility, fear, perceived severity, and information confusion) among different sociodemographic subgroups. Bootstrapped regression models were used to assess the association of these variables with outcome measures. Results: Compared to their counterpart groups, lower perceived susceptibility was reported by adults 65 years and older (p = .002) or retired (p = .015); greater fear was reported by females (p = .044), those with lower education (p = .001), and Mainland Chinese (p = .033); greater perceived severity was reported by individuals with lower education and smaller household size (ps = .003). Perceived susceptibility was inversely associated with individual measure appraisal (p = .032). Perceived severity was positively associated with individual measure appraisal (p = .005) and public measure endorsement (p < .001). Conclusion: Individual behaviour measure appraisal was predicted by lower perceived susceptibility and higher perceived severity, whereas public health measure endorsement was related to higher perceived severity. These results inform the public and the policymakers about the critical factors that affect the preventive measure appraisal and endorsement.

scholarly journals Time Wasters?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Hughes ◽  
Joanna Adhikari
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Functional Forms ◽  
Negative Predictor

Abstract. The Dark Triad personality traits have previously been linked with dysfunctional types of procrastination (i.e., delaying certain tasks). From an evolutionary perspective, procrastination is recognized for facilitating a fast life history strategy. The present study investigated links between active and passive procrastination and the extended Dark Tetrad personality traits (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism, sadism). Participants ( N = 357) were invited via Prolific data collection platform and Survey Circle research sites to participate in an online survey exploring personality and procrastination. Path analyses revealed that all Dark Tetrad traits positively predicted several aspects of active procrastination only. Narcissism emerged as the only negative predictor of passive procrastination. Rather than linking these traits with dysfunctional procrastination types only, our results highlight the importance of considering the Dark Tetrad about functional forms of procrastination, which may be more beneficial for facilitating a fast life history strategy.

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