DARK TRIAD: Empathy Skills and Emotional Manipulation as Predictors of Socially Aversive Traits

Abstract

Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy—collectively known as the ‘Dark Triad’—constitute a personality construct encompassing socially aversive traits, typically marked by a lack of empathy and a tendency toward emotional manipulation. This study examined whether individuals high in these traits report both the willingness and self-perceived ability to manipulate emotions, and whether cognitive and affective empathy, alongside manipulation tendencies, predict the traits. A sample of 105 volunteers (M = 29.36, SD = 3.10) completed the Short-D3, Empathy Components Questionnaire, and Emotional Manipulation Scales. Correlation analysis found adverse relationships between the dark traits and both empathy dimensions. Multiple regression analysis showed that ability and willingness to manipulate predicted all traits, although the relationship with empathy varied. Implications are discussed.