Abstract
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.
Highlights
Traditional masculine norms represent men’s role expectations and behaviour (Gordon et al, 2013)
The bivariate correlations between traditional masculine norms and psychopathy suggest that men scoring high on Risk-Taking, Violence, and Power over Women were high on all facets of psychopathy
Men scoring high on the Need to Win, Risk-Taking, Heterosexual Self-Presentation, Emotional Control, Violence, Playboy, and Power over Women were high on Machiavellianism
Summary
Traditional masculine norms represent men’s role expectations and behaviour (Gordon et al, 2013). Williams et al (2003) further separate these factors into subscales – Interpersonal Manipulation, Callous Affect, Erratic Lifestyle, and Antisocial Behaviour – capturing a four-facet model of psychopathy. Christie and Geis (1970) originally suggested a three-factor structure (i.e., Interpersonal Tactics, Cynical View of Human Nature, and Disregard for Conventional Morality). Researchers (e.g., Jones & Figueredo, 2013) suggest that the DT traits share a common core represented by the facets of Hare's (2003) Factor 1 (i.e., interpersonal manipulation and callous affect). Some research suggests that most of the dark traits are dimensional in nature, the Dark Core may be a categorical, higher-order trait in men (Tran et al, 2018). This would go some way to explaining the uniformly elevated levels of Dark Core traits in men relative to women
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