Psychopathy rather than Machiavellianism or narcissism facilitates intimate partner violence via fast life strategy

Abstract

The dark triad traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) are socially aversive and relate to antisocial behavior and violence. These behaviors may facilitate intimate partner violence (IPV) in couple relationships. IPV risk factors may be correlated with the dark triad traits. Life history strategy (LHS) may be able to account for IPV risk factors including the dark triad traits. This research therefore tested if possession of dark triad traits predicts IPV perpetration, and if LHS mediates any such relationship. Each dark triad trait directly positively affected IPV perpetration in a sample of Japanese undergraduate students (N=344; M=19.0years; SD=1.25; 182 females); however, only psychopathy uniquely predicted IPV perpetration. Among males, LHS partially mediated psychopathy's prediction of IPV, and mediated an indirect negative effect of Machiavellianism on IPV. LHS may account for the dark triad traits' effect on IPV in males. Directions of future research examining IPV and the present research's limitations are discussed.