Structure of darkness: the dark triad, the dark” empathy and the dark’ narcissism.
Open accessAbstract
While it is universally agreed that empathy deficit is a necessary condition for the dark roster membership, the literature provides no consensus regarding differential associations between individual Dark Triad traits with cognitive and affective empathy. With this in mind, we have investigated topology of the network consisting of Affective and Cognitive Measure of Empathy, Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire, and Short Dark Triad traits (SD3). The network analysis disclosed cohesive configuration of multiply connected study variables, thus confirming their aversive coaction. Two main axes of study variables were identified: the ‘dark’ affective dissonance-rivalry-psychopathy axis, and the ‘brighter’ admiration-SD3 narcissism axis; each characterized by its specific manifestation of empathic deficit. Affective dissonance was the most central while affective resonance was the most redundant node of the network. Rivalry — a node connecting the two axes — had the greatest strength in the network and was closer to affective dissonance than to psychopathy. Involvement of affective dissonance uncovered the dual nature of Machiavellianism by shifting it away from psychopathy and closer to narcissism. Overall, by use of structural information not accessible by other means, this study substantiates the proposition about the essential role of distinct empathic deficits in the constellation of antagonistic traits.
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Rivalry, but not psychopathy, was the strongest trait of the dark core.
“Rivalry, but not psychopathy, was the strongest trait of the dark core.”
From The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [43]
Narcissism is among the malevolent traits of the Dark Triad, together with psychopathy and Machiavellianism.
“Narcissism is among malevolent traits of the Dark Triad (43), together with psychopathy and Machiavellianism.”
From The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [43]
Significant fluctuations in NPD empathic skills might be affected by self-regulation, increased when they feel confident and decreased when they are exposed or threatened.
“Furthermore, significant fluctuations in NPD empathic skills might be affected by self-regulation, increased when they feel confident and decreased when they are exposed or threatened (43).”
From The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [43]
The Introduction and the section on narcissistic admiration and rivalry discuss differing associations between narcissistic traits and empathy, not fluctuations in empathy within people with NPD. Searches for self-regulation, confidence, exposure, and threat found no passage linking those circumstances to changes in empathic skills; no page numbers were available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder
di Giacomo, E., Andreini, E., Lorusso, O., & Clerici, M. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1074558 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gojković, V., Dostanić, J. S., & Đurić, V.
- Affiliations
- Union University (RS)
- University of Novi Sad (RS)
- Venue
- Primenjena psihologija
- Published
- 2022-05-25
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 237-268
- ISSN
- 1821-0147 (ISSN-L)
- 2334-7287
- OpenAlex
- W4281705120
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 2.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Primenjena psihologija (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
- Keywords
- Dark Triad, cognitive empathy, affective empathy, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissistic admiration, rivalry, affective dissonance, affective resonance
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