Mutually attracted or repulsed? Actor–partner interdependence models of Dark Triad traits and relationship outcomes

Abstract

Although the Dark Triad traits – narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy – have been studied in individuals, little is known about their roles in dating relationships. Forty-five heterosexual undergraduate couples (N = 90) reported measures of the Dark Triad and relationship commitment and satisfaction. Within couples, assortative mating was slightly negative for narcissism, marginally positive for Machiavellianism, and significantly positive for psychopathy. Using actor–partner interdependence models, we explored the extent to which satisfaction mediated the direct associations between the Dark Triad and commitment. Men’s satisfaction marginally mediated the women’s Dark Triad → men’s commitment negative association. Among the three Dark Triad subscales, satisfaction marginally mediated both of the actor-effect-based psychopathy → commitment negative associations. We discuss possible implications for couples’ relationship strategies.

Introduction

In Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont are former lovers with unmistakable Dark Triad traits – both characters are self-centered (narcissism), manipulate and sexually seduce others for sport or revenge (Machiavellianism), and have little empathy for their victims (psychopathy). Indeed, that the two were once lovers, that Valmont seeks sexual reunion with Merteuil, and that both ultimately betray one another begs the question of whether people high on Dark Triad traits are mutually attracted or repulsed-or both-in romantic relationships. Moreover, how do men’s and women’s Dark Triad traits relate to their own (actor effects) and their partners’ (partner effects) relationship satisfaction and relationship commitment? And are the associations between Dark Triad traits and commitment mediated by satisfaction?

The Dark Triad describes a constellation of three subclinical, socially undesirable personality traits: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism (Paulhus & Williams, 2002). Although research on the Dark Triad has grown rapidly in the past decade (see Furnham, Richards, & Paulhus, 2013, for a review), in the context of romantic relationships, most research has focused on characteristics associated with the Dark Triad and how they affect attraction. For instance, people scoring high on Dark Triad traits have limited executive control (Jonason & Tost, 2010), have a ludic (game-playing) love style (Jonason & Kavanagh, 2010), pursue a short-term mating strategy (Jonason, Li, Webster, & Schmitt, 2009), and are low on conscientiousness (Jonason & Webster, 2010). Prior research suggests that some of these correlates are associated with poor relationship quality. For example, a ludic love style relates to more negative relationship maintenance behaviors (e.g., spying) and decreased satisfaction and commitment (Goodboy & Myers, 2010). In addition, both men and women in dating and married relationships reported less relationship satisfaction if both they and their partners lacked conscientiousness (Decuyper, de Bolle, & de Fruyt, 2012). Research on assortative mating–pairing with others who share similar characteristics or attitudes (Gonzaga et al., 2010, Luo and Klohnen, 2005) – suggests people who score high on Dark Triad traits are likely to pair with others who also score high (and low with low).

While some research has examined how narcissism (Brunell and Campbell, 2011, Foster and Twenge, 2011) and psychopathy (Savard, Sabourin, & Lussier, 2011) relate to relationship outcomes, none has examined all three Dark Triad traits in the same study. Our study seeks to examine the separate and joint influences of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy on relationship commitment and satisfaction in couples.

Given the literature reviewed above, we made three specific predictions. First, given that prior research has shown positive assortative mating on some traits – even socially undesirable ones, such as psychoticism (Dubuis-Stadelmann et al., 2001, Russell and Wells, 1991, Savard et al., 2011) – Dark Triad traits should show positive assortative mating for both men and women.

Second, because the Dark Triad as a whole functions to facilitate an exploitative short-term mating strategy (Jonason et al., 2009), it should be negatively related to relationship satisfaction and commitment, for both actor and partner paths, both because its traits are often viewed as socially undesirable and because commitment and relationship satisfaction are hallmarks of long-term mating strategies rather than short-term ones. In line with Rusbult, 1980, Rusbult, 1983 investment model, which proposes that satisfaction is a predictor of commitment, we expected satisfaction to mediate the direct effect of the Dark Triad mean on commitment; however, we remained agnostic as to whether this would be more likely for men or women, or for which combination of actor and/or partner effects, for both this and subsequent predictions. As such, these analyses were exploratory.

Third, we sought to examine the links between the individual Dark Triad traits and various outcomes. For instance, Machiavellians may be adept at cultivating feelings of commitment and satisfaction in their partners. In addition, because attractive partners are valued and because narcissists are more physically attractive (Holtzman & Strube, 2010) and sexually appealing (Dufner, Rauthmann, Czarna, & Denissen, 2013), narcissism may be positively associated with partner commitment and satisfaction. On the contrary, although psychopathy may have some positive associations with relationship quality (Ali & Chamorro-Premuzic, 2009), it should be negatively related to commitment and satisfaction, in part because a key component of psychopathy is lack of interpersonal empathy, which is arguably a sine qua non of relationship quality. Because of these inconsistencies, we view our analyses as largely exploratory; however, we also believe that the potential negative consequences of the Dark Triad traits on relationship satisfaction and commitment likely outweigh the potential positive ones and we predicted negative associations between each Dark Triad trait and both relationship satisfaction and commitment.