Dark Triad traits and perceived quality of alternative partners

Brewer, Gayle ORCID: 0000-0003-0690-4548, Erickson, Emily, Whitaker, Laura and Lyons, Minna (2020) Dark Triad traits and perceived quality of alternative partners. Personality and Individual Differences, 154. p. 109633.

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Abstract

Those high on Dark Triad traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) report poor quality romantic relationships and greater susceptibility to infidelity. The present study investigated the relationship between Dark Triad traits and the perceived quality of alternative partners. Heterosexual women (NȂ=Ȃ379) aged 17–63 years (M = 26.93, SD = 10.78) completed the NPI-16, Mach IV, Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, and Quality of Alternatives Scale. A multiple hierarchical regression revealed that the Dark Triad traits predicted perceived quality of alternatives when controlling for participant age and relationship length. Narcissism and Machiavellianism were the only significant individual predictors, such that women high on narcissism or Machiavellianism were more likely to acknowledge the availability of alternative relationships. Increased awareness of alternative mates may, in part, contribute to previously reported associations between these traits, poor quality relationships, and infidelity.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Dark Triad, Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, Quality of alternatives, Romantic relationships
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	22 Nov 2019 08:40
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2023 10:41
DOI:	10.1016/j.paid.2019.109633
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3063015