The Dark Triad's inverse relations with cognitive and emotional empathy: High-powered tests with multiple measures

Abstract

Low empathy is a key feature of the Dark Triad traits of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Nevertheless, prior research, which has used mostly small samples with single measures of each construct, has produced mixed findings. The present study tested associations between Dark Triad traits and empathy using (a) a large sample (N = 1035), (b) multiple measures of each construct, and (c) structural equation modeling. Dark Triad traits, modeled as latent variables using three indicator measures each, were regressed onto two dimensions of empathy—emotional (feeling what others feel) and cognitive (knowing what others think)—which were also modeled as latent variables using three indicator measures each. The model fit the data well. All three Dark Triad traits were associated with low emotional empathy, but the association with narcissism was significantly weaker than associations with psychopathy or Machiavellianism. Psychopathy was unrelated to cognitive empathy, whereas narcissism and Machiavellianism were both positively related to cognitive empathy. The present findings provide a more nuanced and comprehensive theoretical contribution to the links between empathy and the Dark Triad traits.