COLD HEARTS PLAYING WITH FIRE: THE DARK TRIAD, RISK-TAKING AND EMPATHY
https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol24no2.11
- Author:
Jia Ying Yap
1
;
Berezina Elizaveta
1
Author Information
1. Department of Psychology, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Dark Triad;
Risk-taking;
Empathy;
Ethics
- MeSH:
Risk-taking
- From:Journal of University of Malaya Medical Centre
2021;24(2):76-85
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background:The Dark Triad personalities have been well studied, however, it is not often linked with empathy and risk-taking intentions. The present study aims to address this gap by examining the association between the Dark Triad personality traits, empathy and risk-taking intentions in the five domains – ethical, financial, health/safety, social, and recreational.
Methods:A sample of 160 young adults residing in Malaysia (Male=69, Female=99, Mage=22.01, SD=2.03) completed the Short Dark Triad Questionnaire, Empathy Scale, and Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale through an online survey.
Results:Machiavellianism and Psychopathy were positively associated with the five domains of risk-taking, including social, ethical, financial, recreational and health/safety domains, and negatively associated with empathy. Narcissism, on the contrary, was positively correlated to all risk-taking domains except for recreational risk-taking, and showed no significant relationship to empathy. Empathy was a significant predictor in social risk-taking whereas Machiavellianism and Psychopathy were significant predictors in ethical risk-taking intentions.
Conclusion:This study expanded existing knowledge on the Dark Triad personalities by demonstrating a link between each Dart Triad trait, potential risk-taking behaviours and empathy.
- Full text:20250813100535072576398.pdf
