SHORT REPORT
Altruism and the Dark Triad
| 1 | The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada |
| 2 | Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway |
Submission date: 2021-07-01
Final revision date: 2021-12-08
Acceptance date: 2022-01-14
Online publication date: 2022-02-24
Publication date: 2022-09-30
Current Issues in Personality Psychology 2022;10(3):234–239
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
The Dark Triad literature examining pro-social behaviours is minimal, with mixed results.
Participants and procedure:
This study investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad and altruistic behaviours based on self-report data from 286 adults. Altruism was assessed using two scales: a general measure as well as a more recent scale measur-ing compassionate altruism towards family, friends, and strangers.
Results:
Machiavellianism negatively correlated with general altruism; however, when controlling for the other dark variables plus age and gender in a regression, narcissism was the only Dark Triad trait that significantly predicted altruism. None of the Dark Triad traits were significantly related to or predictive of compassionate altruism.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that the Dark Triad and altruism relationships are not straightforward, and that, surprising-ly, strong negative relationships between the traits and altruism are not found. Limitations and future research direc-tions are discussed.
The Dark Triad literature examining pro-social behaviours is minimal, with mixed results.
Participants and procedure:
This study investigates the relationships between the Dark Triad and altruistic behaviours based on self-report data from 286 adults. Altruism was assessed using two scales: a general measure as well as a more recent scale measur-ing compassionate altruism towards family, friends, and strangers.
Results:
Machiavellianism negatively correlated with general altruism; however, when controlling for the other dark variables plus age and gender in a regression, narcissism was the only Dark Triad trait that significantly predicted altruism. None of the Dark Triad traits were significantly related to or predictive of compassionate altruism.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that the Dark Triad and altruism relationships are not straightforward, and that, surprising-ly, strong negative relationships between the traits and altruism are not found. Limitations and future research direc-tions are discussed.
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