The Dark Triad and strategic resource control in a competitive computer game

Abstract

Strategic resource control poses a trade-off to attackers and defenders. Actions that reclaim control of a resource pose costs, but control of a resource by an adversary also poses costs. Thus, strategy is required to maximize outcomes. Research on the Dark Triad of personality has suggested that Machiavellianism is associated with a strategic orientation, whereas psychopathy and narcissism are associated with direct aggression and overconfidence (respectively). Thus, individuals high in Machiavellianism should outperform those high in psychopathy and narcissism in a strategic resource control game. We tested this hypothesis using a modified version of the “Flipit” game. Using this type of behavioral extension of an Extensive Form Game (EFG) we found that Machiavellian individuals were more successful in their performance than were those high in narcissism and psychopathy. Further, poor performance in psychopathy was partially driven by non-attention to costs. Findings have implications for defending against Dark Triad attackers in cybersecurity settings.