Skip to main content

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Quantitative Psychology and Measurement
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1469970

Measuring the Dark Triad: A Meta-Analytical SEM Study of Two Prominent Short Scales

Provisionally accepted
Lukas Aaron Knitter Lukas Aaron Knitter 1*Jerome Hoffmann Jerome Hoffmann 2Michael Eid Michael Eid 3Tobias Koch Tobias Koch 1
  • 1 Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
  • 2 Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsverläufe, Bamberg, Germany
  • 3 Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This research examines the factor structure and psychometric properties of two well-known Dark Triad personality trait questionnaires, the Short Dark Triad (SD3) and the Dirty Dozen (DD). By analyzing data from 11 (SD3) and 5 (DD) carefully selected studies in the U.S. and Canada, this meta-analysis uncovers unexpected correlations among questionnaire items, challenging existing assumptions. The study employs a two-stage structural equation modelling approach to evaluate various measurement models. Conventional models, like the correlated factor and orthogonal bifactor models, fail to explain the irregular correlations. For Dirty Dozen items, a bifactor-(S⋅I-1) model is more suitable than the orthogonal bifactor model, significantly affecting interpretation. On the other hand, the complex structure of the SD3 necessitates item revision to enhance reliability, discriminant validity, and predictive validity. These findings emphasize the need for refining and clarifying concepts in item revision. Furthermore, the research highlights the overlap between Machiavellianism and psychopathy, particularly in relation to revenge-related items, suggesting the need for differentiation between these traits or the identification of distinct core characteristics.

    Keywords: Dark triad (DT), Bifactor Model, TSSEM, Meta-analysis, Measurement Model

    Received: 24 Jul 2024; Accepted: 26 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Knitter, Hoffmann, Eid and Koch. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Lukas Aaron Knitter, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.