Love is a losing game: Capacity for love mediates the relationship between the vulnerable dark triad and love styles

Abstract

Although loving relationships form part of everyday life, the contribution of personality to the dynamics of these relationships remains relatively unexamined. Research has yet to demonstrate how individuals high in vulnerable Dark Triad (DT) traits behave in such relationships. Across three studies, we compare capacity for love and love styles in vulnerable DT individuals and those high in primary psychopathy and grandiose narcissism. In study 1 (N = 128), reduced capacity for love explained relationships between primary psychopathy, and love styles of agape (selfless), eros (passionate), pragma (logical) and storge (friendship), although no effects were found for secondary psychopathy or vulnerable narcissism. In study 2 (N = 274), contrasting findings emerged in that reduced capacity for love partially mediated relationships between borderline personality disorder traits, agape and eros, only, yet indrirect effects were not observed for primary psychopathy, secondary psychopathy and associated love styles. In study 3 (N = 197), reduced capacity for love partially explained the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and agape, eros, ludus and storge, but not those between grandiose narcissism and related love styles. Findings demonstrate how vulnerable DT traits differ across psychological and behavioural domains compared to primary psychopathy and grandiose narcissism.