Dark Tetrad and psychological distress among male violent offenders and male community adults

The first aim of this study was to explore differences between male violent offenders and male community adults in Dark Tetrad traits and psychological distress. The second aim was to investigate moderation effects of dark traits in the prediction of psychological distress based on the membership of violent offenders or community adults. The sample included 142 male violent offenders (M = 40.73, SD = 11.43) convicted of murder, severe murder, or rape, and 573 men from the community population in Serbia without a history of criminal convictions (M = 41.71, SD = 15.11). Serbian adaptations of the Short Dark Triad (SD3), Comprehensive Assessment of Sadistic Tendencies (CAST), and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) were used. Results showed that violent offenders had higher scores on psychopathy and problems in social and general functioning, while community adults had higher scores on narcissism. Furthermore, moderation analyses showed that physical sadism was significantly correlated with risk behaviors in the community adults, but not in violent offenders.

The Dark Core of personality: Individual’s expression of locus of control and spirituality

Dark personality traits are amongst the most popular research topics recently. In 2018 the Dark Core of personality was proposed as a common core to capture all aversive subclinical manifestations. In this study, we aimed at investigating how individuals with high scores on the Dark Core perceive control (i.e., internally or externally) and express their spirituality. Participants were 614 adults, mostly females (85.17%), aged from 18 to 73 years-old (M = 36.00; SD = 12.26), and identified themselves as agnostics (22.63%) or Catholics (19.05%). Participants responded to a measure that assessed the Dark Core of personality (D35), the Locus of Control Scale (ELOCUS), and the WHOQOL-spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB). We used a path analysis model to estimate their connection. Results indicated that the Dark Core better predicts external locus of control, which respectively predicts connect, strength, and faith, which can be considered as spiritual coping strategies. We concluded that men and women tend to blame external forces when things do not go their way and use personal beliefs to relieve emotional distress.

Dark Triad traits as predictors of adherence to traditional masculine norms in men

The present study examined whether Dark Triad traits explain variance in men’s adherence to traditional masculine norms (Playboy, Self-Reliance, Emotional Control, Winning, Violence, Heterosexual Self-Presentation, Risk-Taking, and Power over Women). Two-hundred and thirty-seven English speaking men (aged 18 to 62 years) completed online versions of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Mach-IV, and the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-29. Results from regression analyses showed that the psychopathic trait Callous Affect positively predicted men’s Need to Win, Emotional Control, Violence, and Power Over Women; Erratic Lifestyle was a positive predictor of Risk-Taking; and Antisocial Behaviour was a positive predictor of Playboy. Machiavellianism predicted only Violence. The Narcissistic sub-trait Leadership positively predicted Risk-Taking; Manipulativeness predicted Risk-Taking and Violence; Superiority predicted Risk-Taking and Power over Women; Vanity predicted Self-Reliance; and Exhibitionism predicted Emotional Control. We conclude that whilst Callous Affect appears to hold the highest predictive validity, the Dark Triad traits differentially predict adherence to specific masculine norms.

Does a visitor of dark sites have a dark personality?

Previous research on dark tourism in vulnerable post-conflict areas, such as South-Eastern Europe, has overlooked the nature of visitor personalities. Accordingly, the main purpose of the present study is to determine which personality traits (dark triad, sadistic impulse, and six personality traits) are related to preference for dark tourism sites. The sample consisted of 227 respondents from Serbia who completed an online questionnaire. Using a multivariate general linear model, it was found that respondents high in Machiavellianism tended to prefer dark exhibitions, while respondents high in psychopathy tended to prefer visiting conflict/battle sites. Visitors to fun factories as an additional type of dark tourism sites showed low levels of sadism, while narcissism showed no effect on preference for dark tourism sites. Hence, only agreeableness and honesty-humility showed a significant effect on preference for dark tourism sites (dark exhibitions and conflict/battle sites). These results show interesting differences in dark sites visitors’ personalities.

The Effects of the Dark Triad Traits on the Five Pillars of Positive Psychology: The Moderation Effect of Gender

The current study investigated the effects of the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) on mental health indicators from the viewpoint of positive psychology. Additionally, the moderation effect of gender was explored in the context of these relationships. The sample consisted of Hungarian adults from Serbia (439, 54% women). The participants completed the Short Dark Triad Scale (SD3) and the Mental Health Test (MHT), which is a new measure of mental health that can identify levels of well-being, savoring, creative and executing efficiency, self-regulation, and resilience. Results showed that narcissism positively predicted all mental health indicators, while psychopathy negatively predicted all indicators, except for resilience, with which it showed no significant relationship. Machiavellianism was a positive predictor of savoring, creative and executing efficiency, but a negative predictor of self-regulation and resilience and it had no significant effect on well-being. There was no significant moderation effect of gender.

The Dark Tetrad and aesthetic preferences: The role of the dark side of personality in the aesthetic preference for paintings

The role of so-called normal and dark personality traits in everyday preferences, interests, and choices is visible in different domains of life. However, a small number of studies have dealt with individual differences in dark personality traits and aesthetic preferences. The domain of dark personality traits is in recent studies generally conceptualized as the Dark Tetrad — comprised of Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism. Thus, the aim of this research was to examine the relationship between the Dark Tetrad and visual aesthetic preferences. The sample consisted of 170 participants (Mage = 29.09, SDage = 10.66; 77.1 % females). Participants completed the Short Dark Triad and the Varieties of Sadistic Tendencies questionnaires, and also rated their familiarity and preference for 15 paintings with five different types of motives (religious, abstract, oriental, violence, and landscape). It was shown, based on looking at zero-order correlations that only narcissism positively correlates with the preference for paintings with violent motives. Also, a series of regression analyses were performed, which showed that the only significant regression model is the one that reflects the role of reduced psychopathy in the preference for religious motives. The first finding can be explained on the basis of stable findings on the relationship between narcissism and aggression, and also narcissism and violence. The second finding can be interpreted in the context that general religiosity has previously been shown to be negatively associated with psychopathy. It can be concluded that dark personality traits are one of the factors that affect aesthetic preferences.

Frustration elevates arousal in individuals high on the psychopathy scale: The role of approach, not avoidance motivation

Psychopaths tend to react with aggression when mistreated. The literature offers two contradicting explanations of this subject. The aim of this study is to determine whether approach or (the lack of) avoidance motivation underlie emotional reactions of individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies in frustrative situations. The sample of sixty participants (43.3% male) participated in the experiment in which the Ultimatum Game was used to induce the feeling of injustice. The participants received four fair offers in the first phase of the game and six unfair offers in the second phase of the experiment. Their electrodermal activity (EDA) was recorded during both parts of the experiment. Along with the EDA recording, the participants fulfilled Short Dark Triad (SD3) questionnaire and Questionnaire of Approach and Avoidance Motivation (QAAM). Generally, the unfair offers significantly elevated EDA in comparison to the levels of EDA during the fair part of the experiment. The mediational analysis conducted by hierarchical regression analysis revealed that psychopathy is associated with a higher EDA in frustrative conditions, which is entirely explained by QAAM wanting, i.e. approach-related scale. Neither of avoidance-related scales predicted the EDA. This result indicates that individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies experience stronger emotional reactions when facing the potential loss of rewards, which is driven by their stronger approach motivation, and not by the lack of avoidance motivation. Hence, the study contributes to the understanding of the underlying reason for emotional reactions of individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies in unfair conditions within the approach-avoidance framework. Implications for the methodological setting of future studies on this subject are discussed.

Competitive trait anxiety and general self-esteem of athletes according to the sport type and gender

Traditionally, anxiety has been interpreted as a negative emotional state characterized by nervousness, worry, fret, uncertainty and vague fear which could have an adverse effect on sports achievement. On the other hand, sport type and its specific nature and demands, may also be connected with the level of state and trait anxiety. This study aimed to investigate potential differences in the competitive trait anxiety level and general self-esteem according to gender in sports of different contact level. The sample consisted of 1024 (590 males and 434 females) young athletes. Independent variables were sport contact level (non-contact, contact and collision sports) and gender. Dependent variables were measured by the adjusted versions of Sport Competition Anxiety Test and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Basic descriptive statistics was calculated for all the groups, and the differences between them were established using χ² test and MANOVA. The results suggest significant differences in trait competitive anxiety per sport type, gender and their interaction, and no differences in the general self-esteem level. The current study reveals that not only the intensity but also the intergroup relationship of a sport contact level (non-contact, contact and collision sports) is gender determined. These findings are important in psycho-diagnostic procedure and choosing appropriate coping strategies for athletes.

„Šta izaziva osnovne emocije?“ – učestalost simboličkih pobuđivača u odgovorima ispitanika različitog uzrasta

Iako je odavno poznato da simbolički stimulusi mogu da budu pobuđivači emocija, dosadašnja istraživanja u oblasti socijalne kognicije (tj. teorije uma) bila su usmerena gotovo isključivo na prirodne pobuđivače. Zato smo ispitanicima različite starosti, koristeći metodu strukturisanog intervjua, postavljali pitanja o tome šta izaziva 4 osnovne (radost, strah, tuga, bes) emocije, kako bismo utvrdili kolika će biti relativna učestalost simboličkih pobuđivača u njihovim spontanim odgovorima. Relativna učestalost takvih pobuđivača uzeta je kao indikator za njihov značaj za razumevanje kauzacije emocija. Učestvovalo je ukupno 120 ispitanika, po 20 na različitim uzrastima od predškolskog do studentskog. Dobijene odgovore kategorisala su dva nezavisna procenjivača; ukupno slaganje među njima bilo je 96%. Rezultati su pokazali da su simboličke pobuđivače u visokom procentu navodili ispitanici na svim ispitivanim uzrastima. Ovaj nalaz smo protumačili kao pokazatelj toga da su takvi pobuđivači od najranijih uzrasta deo implicitne teorije o kauzaciji emocija i da je u dosadašnjim istraživanjima napravljen „propust“ time što oni nisu u većoj meri uzeti u obzir. Jedina značajna uzrasna razlika u učestalosti simboličkih pobuđivača dobijena je između dece od 5 godina (46.4%) i starijih ispitanika (65.9% u proseku), što se poklapa sa prelaskom sa predškolskog na školski uzrast. Relativna učestalost takvih pobuđivača ostaje približno ista na starijim uzrastima. Analize uzrasnih razlika u učestalosti simboličkih pobuđivača iz različitih potkategorija pokazale su da je na uzrastu od 5 godina veća učestalost ikoničkih pobuđivača nego na starijim uzrastima, dok je obrnut slučaj sa društveno-normativnim pobuđivačima; u oba slučaja, kasnije uzrasne razlike nisu statistički značajne.

Nelojalna partnerska ponašanja na društvenim mrežama: doprinos osobina ličnosti i samoprezentacije neverstvu i obraćanju pažnje na alternative

Društvene mreže predstavljaju kontekst u kom se aktivno uspostavljaju i razvijaju intimni odnosi. Zbog specifičnosti onlajn interakcije, društvene mreže su pogodno okruženje u kom se ispoljavaju i razna nelojalna partnerska ponašanja. U ovom radu ispitivane su determinante obraćanja pažnje na alternativne partnere i neverstva na društvenim mrežama, a cilj je bio da se ispita doprinos narcizma, traženja senzacija i samoprezentacije navedenim oblicima nelojalnog partnerskog ponašanja. Uz to, ispitivan je medijatorski efekat samoprezentacije i obraćanja pažnje na alternative na relaciju između osobina ličnosti i neverstva. U istraživanju su učestvovale 423 osobe koje su trenutno u intimnoj vezi (22.2% muškog pola, prosečna starost 22, raspon godina od 18 do 52 godine). Rezultati pokazuju da narcizam, traženje senzacija i samoprezentacija na društvenim mrežama daju unikatni doprinos predikciji obraćanja pažnje na alternative, dok je neverstvo unikatno povezano samo sa samoprezentacijom. Relacija narcizma i neverstva potpuno je posredovana samoprezentacijom i obraćanjem pažnje na alternative, dok je odnos traženja senzacija i neverstva posredovan samo obraćanjem pažnje na alternative. Nalazi ovog istraživanja sugerišu da je opravdano praviti konceptualnu razliku između obraćanja pažnje na alternative i neverstva, kao i da ova ova dva oblika nelojalnog partnerskog ponašanja mogu biti motivisana različitim psihološkim potrebama.