THE EFFECT OF DARK TRIAD TRAITS ON DECISION-MAKING STYLES

Abstract

The aim of present study was to explain the relationships of Dark Triad with decision-making styles. We assumed an association of decision-making styles with the Dark Triad traits that represent aversive personality traits, because previous studies identified relationships between the Dark Triad and the Big Five features and similarly, the relationships of the Big Five traits with decision-making styles have been confirmed. The research was conducted on a sample of 127 participants (M = 40.65 years; SD = 4.68). The sample consisted of 55.1% women (n = 70) and 44.9% men (n = 57). The data were subjected to correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. Machiavellianism correlated significantly positively with avoidant, dependent, and spontaneous decision-making styles. Narcissism correlated significantly positively with spontaneous decision-making style and significantly negatively with rational decision-making style. Psychopathy correlated significantly positively with avoidant and spontaneous decision-making style and significantly negatively with rational decision-making style. The value of the results lies in revealing what decision-making strategies are used by people with different socially aversive personality traits. Finding explanations for why some people use non-adaptive decision-making styles and experience the negative results of their decisions in real life, which cause their overall discomfort, can be explained by their dark features.