The Dark Triad consists of three overlapping personality traits: Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and Narcissism, (Paulhus & Williams, 2002). This investigation examines two main research goals. The first aims to identify the common traits that occupy the core of the Dark Triad of personality. The literature suggests that the Dark Triad Core traits are low agreeableness (e.g., Jakobwitz & Egan, 2006), aggression (e.g., Kerig & Stellwagen, 2010), impulsivity (e.g., Thomaes, Bushman, De Castro, & Stegge, 2009), low emotional intelligence (e.g., Ali, Amorim & Chamorro-Premuzic, 2009), and potentially low neuroticism (Paulhus & Williams, 2002). The second research goal aims to identify a developmental trajectory of how early life risk factors influence each other and the Dark Triad. The literature suggests that being raised in a low SES environment (e.g., Chapple & Johnson, 2007), experiencing trauma (e.g., Tackett et al., 2009), and being the child of poor parenting styles (e.g., De Clercq et al., 2008), are related to the occurrence of the Dark Triad. An anxious or avoidant attachment style (Loeber & Hay, 1997) and low self-control (Gramzow et al., 2004) may also predict the Dark Triad. Using a sample of 546 adults, the first study demonstrated that the proposed Dark Triad Core traits represent a construct that is overlapping, but not equivalent to, the construct represented by the Dark Triad personality traits. Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, Narcissism, low agreeableness, and aggression load one factor, while aggression, impulsivity, low emotional intelligence, neuroticism, Narcissism and Machiavellianism load a second correlated factor. Using Structural Equation Modeling, several models were tested and a final model was generated that provides a preliminary developmental trajectory of the Dark Triad. This model indicates that poor parenting practices tend to increase the expression of anxious attachment in children. Furthermore, fathers’ poor parenting marginally decreases children’s self-control. Experiencing trauma also tends to increase anxious attachment and decrease self-control in victims. Then, anxious attachment and low self-control influence the expression of the Dark Triad. This line of research begins to define the core of the Dark Triad, while also defining the impact of childhood experiences and personal characteristics in the expression of the Dark Triad. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-30 14:58:10.637

O presente estudo se propõe analisar os traços de personalidade do Dark Triad na decisão de manipular resultados para maximização de ganhos pessoais e empresariais. Para a discussão teórica considerou-se o Dark Triad, composto por traços não patológicos do Narcisismo, da Psicopatia e do Maquiavelismo e também a investigação do uso oportunístico da informação contábil-financeira quanto à decisão de manipular resultados, fundamentada pela Teoria dos Altos Escalões. Adotou-se a abordagem metodológica teórico-empírica. Os dados foram coletados usando um questionário survey divido em quatro partes: perfil demográfico, instrumento de medição de personalidade - Short Dark Triad (SD3), uma Simulação Empresarial com assertivas decisórias com enfoque em manobras financeiras e um jogo no formato Loteria. Três estudos foram realizados para adaptar o SD3 para uso no Brasil e testar três hipóteses formuladas. O Estudo 1 utilizou uma amostra de 30 alunos de Ciências Contábeis; o Estudo 2 utilizou uma amostra de 131 estudantes de MBA na área de Gestão Financeira. Ambos os estudos foram conduzidos como um teste preliminar para ajustar o questionário para o Estudo 3. Os dados para o estudo 3 foram coletadas de 263 gestores, os quais possuíam mais de seis meses de experiência. Técnicas de estatística descritiva, correlação análise, teste de hipóteses e regressão logística permitiram evidenciar, no Estudo 3, uma correlação significativa entre os três traços de personalidade. O Maquiavelismo e a Psicopatia apresentaram o maior valor correlacional. Existe uma relação positiva entre os altos traços de Maquiavelismo e Psicopatia e a decisão de manipular resultados. Em relação aos níveis, os traços moderados e altos do Maquiavelismo apresentaram maior aproximação. Já os traços da Psicopatia baixo e moderado demonstraram maior aproximação, permitindo a inferência de que o traço moderado apresenta menor tendência de os gestores decidirem pela manipulação de resultados. O Narcisismo não revelou diferenças entre médias, não sendo possível analisar os seus níveis. O estudo confirmou a relação positiva entre a interação dos três tipos de personalidade que compõem o Dark Triad e a decisão de manipular resultados. Os resultados levam à defesa da tese proposta de que a disposição de manipular resultados para a maximização de ganhos pessoais e empresariais está associada à interação de Maquiavelismo, Narcisismo e Psicopatia e aos níveis (baixo, moderado e alto) de pelo menos um desses traços que compõem o Dark Triad. Assim, este estudo contribui teórica, prática e metodologicamente para a área contábil, sobretudo para o campo da contabilidade comportamental, por discutir uma temática psicológica inovadora no contexto nacional; oferecer às empresas insights para o reconhecimento dos aspectos positivos e negativos em gestores dotados desses traços, no sentido de acompanhar mais de perto suas ações, para se tentar evitar prejuízos organizacionais; desperta para a análise de fatores comportamentais como potenciais influenciadores da tomada de decisão de manipular resultados; além de apresenta à sociedade brasileira a possibilidade de conhecimento, reconhecimento e convivência com indivíduos que exteriorizam esses traços de personalidade. / This study seeks to analyze the Dark Triad personality traits in the decision to manipulate earnings in order to maximize personal and business earnings. For the theoretical discussion, it was considered the Dark Triad of personality, composed by non-pathological traits of Narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism and also, the opportunistic use of the financial-accounting information, regarding the decision to manipulate earnings, grounded on the Upper Echelon Theory. A theoretical and empirical methodology was employed. Data were collected using survey questionnaire divided into four parts: demographic profile, personality measurement tool - Short Dark Triad (SD3), a Business Simulation with assertive decision-making with a focus on financial maneuvers and a game in the Lottery format. In order to adapt the SD3 for use in Brazil and to test three formulated hypotheses, three studies were carried out. The Study 1 used a sample of 30 accountancy students; Study 2 used a sample of 131 MBA students in the area of Financial Management. Both studies were conducted as a preliminary test to adjust the questionnaire to Study 3. Data for Study 3 were collected from 263 managers, which have had more than six months of experience. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, hypotheses tests and logistical regression evidenced a significant correlation among the three personality traits. The highest correlation was found between Machiavellianism and psychopathy. There was a significant positive relationship between high incidence of Machiavellianism and psychopathy traits and the decision to manipulate earnings. Regarding the levels, the high and moderate traits of Machiavellianism showed greater approximation. On the other hand, moderate and low traits of Psychopathy showed greater approximation, allowing for the inference that the moderate trait indicates a smaller tendency of managers deciding to manipulate the earnings. Narcissism did not reveal differences between the averages, which made it impossible to analyze its levels. The study confirmed the positive relationship between the interaction of the three Dark Triad personality traits and the decision to manipulate earnings. Therefore, the results confirm the proposed thesis that the decision to manipulate earnings to maximize personal and business earnings is associated with the interaction of Machiavellianism, Narcissism and psychopathy and the levels (low, moderate and high) of, at least, one of these Dark Triad traits. This study contributes theoretically, practically and methodologically to the field of Behavioral accounting. It discussed an innovative psychological theme in the national environment. The knowledge of the attributes of these personality traits may offer businesses insights to recognize the benefits and drawbacks of living with these types of managers and following more closely their actions, especially, to avoid organizational damage. Recognizing these traits in the others and in one\'s self may promote a more pleasant coexistence, by learning to deal with exteriorized behavior without the purpose of making these individual characteristics public out of respect for the involved ethical questions.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka sambanden mellan Dark Triad (de mörka personlighetsdragen Machiavellism, narcissism och psykopati), Sociosexuell orientering (beteende, attityd och lust till att medverka i tillfälliga sexuella relationer) samt Religiositet. En korrelationsanalys utfördes för att undersöka sambanden mellan variablerna och en modererande multipel regressionsanalys (MMR) utfördes för att undersöka om religiositet modererade effekten av Dark Triad på sociosexuell orientering. Deltagarna bestod av amerikaner (N =309) som svarade på en webbenkät via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) vilken innehöll Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) och the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R), dessutom angav de religionstillhörighet/ingen religionstillhörighet. Dark Triad hade ett positivt samband med sociosexuell orientering, men inget samband med religiositet. Sociosexuell orientering hade ett negativt samband med religiositet. Religiositet modererade inte effekten av Dark Triad på sociosexuell orientering. Resultaten bekräftar delvis tidigare forskning. Trots att religiositet inte modererade effekten av Dark Triad på sociosexuell orientering, borde detta förhållande undersökas vidare eftersom ingen tidigare forskning gjorts på området. / The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the Dark Triad (the dark personality traits Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy), Sociosexual orientation (behavior, attitude and desire to participate in uncommited sex) and Religiosity. A correlation analysis was used to investigate the association between variables and a moderating multiple regressionanalysis (MMR) was used to investigate if Religiosity moderated the effect of the Dark Triad on Sociosexual orientation. The participants consisted of US-residents (N = 309) who responded to an online survey through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) comprising The Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) and the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R). In addition participants also stated religious affiliation / no religious affiliation. Dark Triad had a positive relationship with sociosexual orientation, but no relationship with religiosity. Sociosexual orientation had a negative relationship with religiosity. Religiosity did not moderate the effect of Dark Triad on sociosexual orientation. The results partially confirm previous research. Although religiosity failed to moderate the effect of Dark Triad on sociosexual orientation, this relation should be investigated further since no previous research has been done in this field of research.

O presente estudo se propõe analisar os traços de personalidade do Dark Triad na decisão de manipular resultados para maximização de ganhos pessoais e empresariais. Para a discussão teórica considerou-se o Dark Triad, composto por traços não patológicos do Narcisismo, da Psicopatia e do Maquiavelismo e também a investigação do uso oportunístico da informação contábil-financeira quanto à decisão de manipular resultados, fundamentada pela Teoria dos Altos Escalões. Adotou-se a abordagem metodológica teórico-empírica. Os dados foram coletados usando um questionário survey divido em quatro partes: perfil demográfico, instrumento de medição de personalidade - Short Dark Triad (SD3), uma Simulação Empresarial com assertivas decisórias com enfoque em manobras financeiras e um jogo no formato Loteria. Três estudos foram realizados para adaptar o SD3 para uso no Brasil e testar três hipóteses formuladas. O Estudo 1 utilizou uma amostra de 30 alunos de Ciências Contábeis; o Estudo 2 utilizou uma amostra de 131 estudantes de MBA na área de Gestão Financeira. Ambos os estudos foram conduzidos como um teste preliminar para ajustar o questionário para o Estudo 3. Os dados para o estudo 3 foram coletadas de 263 gestores, os quais possuíam mais de seis meses de experiência. Técnicas de estatística descritiva, correlação análise, teste de hipóteses e regressão logística permitiram evidenciar, no Estudo 3, uma correlação significativa entre os três traços de personalidade. O Maquiavelismo e a Psicopatia apresentaram o maior valor correlacional. Existe uma relação positiva entre os altos traços de Maquiavelismo e Psicopatia e a decisão de manipular resultados. Em relação aos níveis, os traços moderados e altos do Maquiavelismo apresentaram maior aproximação. Já os traços da Psicopatia baixo e moderado demonstraram maior aproximação, permitindo a inferência de que o traço moderado apresenta menor tendência de os gestores decidirem pela manipulação de resultados. O Narcisismo não revelou diferenças entre médias, não sendo possível analisar os seus níveis. O estudo confirmou a relação positiva entre a interação dos três tipos de personalidade que compõem o Dark Triad e a decisão de manipular resultados. Os resultados levam à defesa da tese proposta de que a disposição de manipular resultados para a maximização de ganhos pessoais e empresariais está associada à interação de Maquiavelismo, Narcisismo e Psicopatia e aos níveis (baixo, moderado e alto) de pelo menos um desses traços que compõem o Dark Triad. Assim, este estudo contribui teórica, prática e metodologicamente para a área contábil, sobretudo para o campo da contabilidade comportamental, por discutir uma temática psicológica inovadora no contexto nacional; oferecer às empresas insights para o reconhecimento dos aspectos positivos e negativos em gestores dotados desses traços, no sentido de acompanhar mais de perto suas ações, para se tentar evitar prejuízos organizacionais; desperta para a análise de fatores comportamentais como potenciais influenciadores da tomada de decisão de manipular resultados; além de apresenta à sociedade brasileira a possibilidade de conhecimento, reconhecimento e convivência com indivíduos que exteriorizam esses traços de personalidade. / This study seeks to analyze the Dark Triad personality traits in the decision to manipulate earnings in order to maximize personal and business earnings. For the theoretical discussion, it was considered the Dark Triad of personality, composed by non-pathological traits of Narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism and also, the opportunistic use of the financial-accounting information, regarding the decision to manipulate earnings, grounded on the Upper Echelon Theory. A theoretical and empirical methodology was employed. Data were collected using survey questionnaire divided into four parts: demographic profile, personality measurement tool - Short Dark Triad (SD3), a Business Simulation with assertive decision-making with a focus on financial maneuvers and a game in the Lottery format. In order to adapt the SD3 for use in Brazil and to test three formulated hypotheses, three studies were carried out. The Study 1 used a sample of 30 accountancy students; Study 2 used a sample of 131 MBA students in the area of Financial Management. Both studies were conducted as a preliminary test to adjust the questionnaire to Study 3. Data for Study 3 were collected from 263 managers, which have had more than six months of experience. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, hypotheses tests and logistical regression evidenced a significant correlation among the three personality traits. The highest correlation was found between Machiavellianism and psychopathy. There was a significant positive relationship between high incidence of Machiavellianism and psychopathy traits and the decision to manipulate earnings. Regarding the levels, the high and moderate traits of Machiavellianism showed greater approximation. On the other hand, moderate and low traits of Psychopathy showed greater approximation, allowing for the inference that the moderate trait indicates a smaller tendency of managers deciding to manipulate the earnings. Narcissism did not reveal differences between the averages, which made it impossible to analyze its levels. The study confirmed the positive relationship between the interaction of the three Dark Triad personality traits and the decision to manipulate earnings. Therefore, the results confirm the proposed thesis that the decision to manipulate earnings to maximize personal and business earnings is associated with the interaction of Machiavellianism, Narcissism and psychopathy and the levels (low, moderate and high) of, at least, one of these Dark Triad traits. This study contributes theoretically, practically and methodologically to the field of Behavioral accounting. It discussed an innovative psychological theme in the national environment. The knowledge of the attributes of these personality traits may offer businesses insights to recognize the benefits and drawbacks of living with these types of managers and following more closely their actions, especially, to avoid organizational damage. Recognizing these traits in the others and in one\'s self may promote a more pleasant coexistence, by learning to deal with exteriorized behavior without the purpose of making these individual characteristics public out of respect for the involved ethical questions.

The Dark Triad constructs – Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism – are typically associated with socially aversive behaviours, including insensitivity and exploitation. Despite this, individuals high in Dark Triad traits can be successful and popular outside of clinical and forensic contexts. Research suggests that individuals susceptible to exploitation possess traits signalling vulnerability, and Dark Triad individuals are adept at identifying these when choosing victims. Language is also known to reveal traces of Dark Triad characteristics. This project examined patterns of interpersonal perception among Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism, with the aim to highlight similarities and differences across the three traits. Three studies explored these traits and the ways they manifest in social contexts. Study 1 investigated the extent to which perceptions of individuals high in Dark Triad traits accurately correspond to personality, emotional attributes, and vulnerability within their targets for manipulation. The cues they use for their judgements were considered. Participants who completed Dark Triad measures watched four video clips of dyadic interactions. Results indicated that Dark Triad individuals demonstrated a negative–other bias, whereby they generally perceived all targets as being vulnerable. Study 2 examined the characteristics of individuals who seemingly condone and abet Dark Triad individuals. Results showed that predictors of vulnerability included low extraversion, low conscientiousness, high neuroticism, and high agreeableness. The vignette method was used to elicit perceptions towards Dark Triad behaviours. Response styles on Likert-type statements and open-ended questions between high and low vulnerability groups differed significantly; the less vulnerable were more derogatory whereas the more vulnerable were less harsh. Study 3 qualitatively assessed language as a marker of Dark Triad traits using text analysis. Case studies of individuals high on the Dark Triad scales revealed that their linguistic patterns were consistent with their respective theoretical conceptions. This mixed methods research established that the Dark Triad traits do not uniformly entail the same behavioural outcomes. It also highlighted the importance of the interactive context between the destructive and the susceptible, through which researchers can devise strategies to help organisations better manage such individuals.

Three studies were undertaken to examine the relationship between the Dark Triad (i.e., psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) and faking ability. Study 1 examined the relationship between psychopathy and the ability to fake good and fake bad on self-report personality inventories in a sample of 84 male federal offenders. Results showed that when faking good, successful fakers scored significantly higher than unsuccessful fakers on carefree nonplanfulness, and significantly lower on stress immunity. When faking bad, successful and unsuccessful fakers did not differ significantly on psychopathy total or subscale scores. Study 2 examined the effect of the Dark Triad on the ability to fake good and fake bad on self-report personality inventories in a sample of 166 undergraduates. Results indicated that when faking good, total psychopathy significantly predicted successful faking for 1 of 3 methods of evaluation, while Machiavellianism significantly predicted success at faking good for 2 of 3 methods of evaluation. Narcissism was unrelated to success at faking good. In addition, the Dark Triad constructs did not predict success at faking bad. Study 3 examined the relationship between the Dark Triad constructs and the ability to fake good interpersonally. In this study, 32 undergraduates comprising four groups (i.e., controls, and individuals high in psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) provided videotaped self-presentations. A separate group of 134 university students subsequently rated the veracity of these presentations. Results indicated that when faking good, psychopathy and narcissism groups were rated as more believable than the control group. Conversely, the Machiavellianism group was less successful at faking good than the control group. Contributions of this research to the fields of personality assessment and self-presentation are discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2008-10-14 11:24:45.946

In this study perceived ethical leadership was examined as a moderator of the relationship between the dark triad personality traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) using a sample of 208 employees recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. These participants completed measures of personality (Short Dark Triad; Jones & Paulhus, 2014), counterproductive workplace behavior (Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist; Spector et al., 2006), and employee perception of their direct supervisor’s ethical leadership (Brown, Treviño, & Harrison, 2005). Participants were compensated $0.65 for completing the survey. Correlation and moderation analyses (Hayes, 2012) were used to analyze data. Significant correlations suggest that individuals scoring high on Machiavellianism and psychopathy also reported engaging in more CWB. The relationship between Narcissism and counterproductive workplace behavior approached significance in the predicted direction. Machiavellianism and psychopathy were not negatively related to the employee’s perception of their supervisor’s ethical leadership. Narcissism was significantly positively related to an employee’s perception of their supervisor’s ethical leadership. Finally, ethical leadership did not moderate the relationship between Machiavellianism or psychopathy and CWB. Ethical leadership did not moderate the relationship between Narcissism and CWB, but results were approaching significance in the predicted direction. These results suggest that employees who are manipulative and lack empathy were more likely to engage in harmful behaviors in the workplace such as abuse, production deviance, sabotage, theft, and withdrawal. Further, employees who were more narcissistic and have a grandiose view of themselves were more likely to view their leaders as ethical. Overall, the results of this study indicate that perceived ethical leadership does not affect the frequency in which employees high in narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy reported engaging in counterproductive work behaviors.

Entrepreneurs play a vital role in the modern day economy. Knowing what causes an individual to become an entrepreneur has fostered much attention in academic literature, but not enough of the research has looked into individual level variables that could cause an individual to have an entrepreneurial intention. This study addresses this need in research by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate entrepreneurial intention. Not all entrepreneurs are alike. Some entrepreneurs are motivated by financial gains while others are motivated by social concerns. The individual characteristics of entrepreneurs may not be identical, but it is believed that there are similarities. This current study uses a self-report survey approach to examine the potential impact that barriers to entry into entrepreneurship will have upon an individual’s commercial and social entrepreneurial intention. This study will also examine the moderating effect of gender identity, grit, and the Dark Triad of personality upon the previously established relationship of the three TPB antecedents to intention and commercial and social entrepreneurial intention.

Personality neuroscience offers a new theory of the biological basis of personality traits. It involves the use of neuroscientific methodologies to study individual differences in behavior, motivation, emotion, and cognition. Personality psychology has contributed much in identifying the important dimensions of personality, but relatively little to understanding the biological sources of those dimensions. In recent years, personality psychology has become the foundation for the study of personality disorders, and by extension, neuroscience. First, I provide a theoretical foundation for the neuroscience of normal and abnormal personality traits. Second, I conduct two empirical studies on deviant personality traits captured by the Dark Triad (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and relate them to universal human values. Study I shows that darker personalities endorse values that are self-enhancing, and that justify self-serving behavior. Study II investigates the relationship between the aforementioned constructs and empathy based on the idea that empathy is an important moderating factor of dark traits. In the discussion, suggestions for future studies in neuroscience are presented, as well as some limitations relating to the constructs.

No description available.