Down to the core: The role of the common core of dark traits for aversive relationship behaviors

Abstract

Typically, up to four dark traits, i.e., the dark tetrad, are investigated to explain the dispositional side of aversive relationship behaviors (ARBs). However, the picture across studies is scattered and inconclusive: All dark tetrad traits show similar zero-order relations with ARBs and multiple regression analyses produce divergent results concerning which dark trait is the primary predictor. Instead, we suggest to concentrate on what is shared among dark traits when predicting ARBs. The shared variance of all dark traits is conceptually represented by the Dark Factor of Personality (D). Based on the theory of D, we made two predictions: First, any set of at least two dark tetrad traits will lead to (almost) the same proportion of explained variance. Second, a direct measure of D will explain a comparable amount of variance in ARBs. We tested these predictions in an online sample (N = 705) using latent factor modeling. Confirming predictions, all sets of dark traits explained roughly the same amount of variance. Also, D approximated the maximum of explained variance by any set. It is thus more parsimonious and theoretically informative to use D, i.e., the common core of aversive traits, in the prediction of ARBs, rather than any set of dark pairs, triads, or tetrads.