A Comparison of Male and Female Young Adults on Honesty-Humility and the Dark Triad Traits

Abstract

This study examines gender differences among young adults in four key personality traits: Honesty-Humility, Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy. Using the HEXACO-PI-R and Short Dark Triad (SD3) tools, data was collected from a sample of 120 Indian young adults, equally divided by gender. Statistical analysis, including Independent Samples t-Test, revealed that females scored significantly higher on Honesty-Humility, while males scored significantly higher on Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy. These findings support all four hypotheses and contribute to the growing body of literature exploring how gender influences the expression of both moral and socially aversive personality traits. These gender-based differences have practical implications in various settings such as education, counseling, and organizational behavior, where personality assessment can inform tailored interventions. The study contributes to psychological literature by providing clear empirical evidence on how traits of morality and social manipulation are distributed across genders within the Indian context, reinforcing the need for culturally sensitive personality research.