A factor-analytic study of measures of Machiavellianism

Three Machiavellian (Mach) scales together with measures of authoritarian personality, the EPQ and the 16PF test were subjected to a rotated factor analysis in order to identify and locate in personality space a Mach factor or factors. One Mach factor was identified independent of the main personality factors.     

Real self-respect and its social bases

Abstract

Many theories of social justice maintain that concern for the social bases of self-respect grounds demanding requirements of political and economic equality, as self-respect is supposed to be dependent on continuous just recognition by others. This paper argues that such views miss an important feature of self-respect, which accounts for much of its value: self-respect is a capacity for self-orientation that is robust under adversity. This does not mean that there are no social bases of self-respect that such theories ought to incorporate. It means that they are different: they consist of the motivational and epistemic resources needed to develop and maintain such robustness.     

Leaders' bases of social power and anticipation of targets' resistance as predictors of transactional and transformational leadership

This paper examines the value of power and resistance for predicting transactional and transformational leadership. A sample of 232 leader-follower dyads was used to examine these relationships using Hinkin and Schriesheim's 1989 measure of power, Barbuto's 2000 measure of resistance, and Bass' 1985 measure of transformational leadership. Analysis yielded a significant negative relationship between leaders' Reward Power and their use of Individualized Consideration.     

Machiavellianism and spontaneous cheating in competition

Seventy-two undergraduates were assigned to groups defined by the combinations of the factors opportunity to cheat (yes, no), type of competition (personal, impersonal), and subject Machiavellianism (high, low). As predicted, cheating occurred in the opportunity to cheat, impersonal competition, high Mach group and in the opportunity to cheat, personal competition, low Mach group, extending the results of previous Machiavellianism research from situations in which cheating was explicitly encouraged by another person to a situation in which cheating was undertaken at the subject's own initiative.     

Machiavellianism in patients and their children.

The role of the family in the development of Machiavellianism was examined in this study. High- and low-Machiavellian sixth graders played a bluffing game. Their parents completed Machiavellian belief measures. The Machiavellianism of fathers and mothers was positively related to their children's success at deceiving others but not at seeing through others' attempts at deception. In addition, fathers' Machiavellianism was positively related to their children's Machiavellian beliefs. These data support a modeling hypothesis for the development of Machiavellianism. Unexpectedly, the children's own behaviors and beliefs were unrelated. This pattern of results suggests that a child's manipulative behaviors and beliefs are learned separately and only become consistent over time.     

Sex differences in bases of power in dating relationships

The relationships between relative and absolute contributions of resources and perceiving oneself as being powerful in the dating relationship were examined for 50 dating couples. Unlike past research examining resources as bases of power, a wide range of resources was examined—including more traditional “feminine” resources such as affection and companionship. Also unlike past studies, perceived contributions of resources, rather than the control of resources, were examined. How access to alternative relationships relates to power was also examined in this study. Contrary to research examining control of resources, it was found in this study that contributing more to the relationship tended to be negatively correlated with perceiving oneself as having power. Closer analysis revealed that this was particularly true for traditionally feminine resources. It was also found that the more men perceived themselves as having access to alternatives, the more powerful they perceived themselves. For women, on the other hand, an important basis of power appeared to be the control of the reciprocation of love in the relationship.     

Machiavellianism and early maladaptive schemas in adolescents

Given the relationship between personality dysfunction and Machiavellianism, schema-approach and early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) in particular offer a promising approach to the better understanding of Machiavellianism. Using self-report measures of Machiavellianism and EMSs with 498 adolescents (354 girls), we tested which EMSs were associated with Machiavellianism. Results showed that Emotional deprivation, Mistrust/abuse, Entitlement/grandiosity, and Approval-seeking/Recognition-seeking EMSs were positively associated with Machiavellianism, while Enmeshment/Undeveloped self and Self-sacrifice EMSs were negatively related to Machiavellianism. Results are mostly discussed from developmental and relational perspectives. Machiavellianism is suggested to be the result of maladaptive coping responses to the EMSs listed above.     

Towards multifaceted Machiavellianism: Content, factorial, and construct validity of a German Machiavellianism Scale

Machiavellianism comprises several distinct aspects (Rauthmann & Will, 2011), but it is unclear what Machiavellianism scales measure. The current study exemplarily investigates for a German Machiavellianism Scale (Henning & Six, 2008) (a) item content, (b) factorial structure, and (c) factor correlations with other scales (Big Five, narcissism, psychopathy, emotional manipulation, socio-emotional skills, self-esteem, self-monitoring) in a large sample (n = 438 women, n = 138 men). Findings yielded that (a) cynical/misanthropic views, agentic orientations, and deceitful behavior are (over-)represented in content; (b) different Machiavellianism factors emerge for men and women; and (c) there are differential associations of these factors with other scales. Findings are relevant for conceptualization and measurement of Machiavellianism.     

Cognitive therapy and social power

This paper addresses the capacity of cognitive therapy to engage with issues of social power. Some indicators of ‘power‐sensitised counselling’ are proposed and these are discussed with reference to cognitive therapy. ‘Power‐sensitised counselling’ for the purposes of this paper is described as counselling that takes account of power differentials, both across society and within the counselling room. The paper opens a discussion about the potential developments of cognitive therapy that could facilitate an engagement with issues of social power. The significance of these issues for research into cognitive therapy is discussed.     

Personal and social bases of children's self-concepts about physical movement

This project examined the personal and social bases of children's self-concepts about physical movement. Children completed the Movement Assessment Battery, ASK-KIDS self-concept inventory, personal and social self-categorizations. Participants were girls and boys from 5 to 12 years old. Study 1 (N=242) confirmed that the ASK-KIDS self-concept inventory could be extended to physical movement for younger and older girls and boys. In Study 2 (N=42), self-concepts about movement were not necessarily associated with actual performance and personal self-categorizations about oneself as a 'bookish' or 'sporty' person. In contrast, self-concepts about physical movement were associated with social self-categorizations regarding age and sex. Study 3 (N=70) confirmed the social basis of children's self-concepts about movement. Self-concepts about physical movement were associated with children's sense of belonging and not with a sense of individuality. The findings have implications for the design of programs that motivate children to participate in physical activities.     

Populism vs. elitism: social consensus and social status as bases of attitude certainty

This study examined the effects of social consensus and social status on attitude certainty that is conceptualized multi-dimensionally as perceived clarity and correctness of one's attitude. In a mock opinion exchange about a social issue, participants were either supported (high consensus) or opposed (low consensus) by most of the confederates. They were informed that their opinion (high status) or their opponents' opinion (low status) had the alleged psychological significance indicative of future success. Post-experimental attitude clarity was significantly greater when attitudinal position was associated with high rather than low status. Attitude correctness was interactively affected by social status and social consensus. Supporting the compensatory effect hypothesis, attitude correctness was comparable across the levels of social consensus as long as they were associated with high status, and across the levels of social status as long as they were associated with high social consensus.     

Machiavellianism and manipulation in the mental patient role

Patients’ Machiavellian orientations were compared to their reputations among the staff as manipulators, helpers, or model patients. For both acute and chronic patients, Machiavellianism was consistently found to relate significantly to the manipulator reputation and not to the other reputations The relationships held for patients diagnosed psychotic as well as nonpsychotic. These findings support the propositions that mental patients attempt to manipulate the staff in their everyday contact with them and that manipulation constitutes one of the major adaptive styles employed by patients The relationships were demonstrated more reliably in group treatment programs than in an individual treatment program Expected differences in the relationships according to birth order were not found Machiavellian social desirability significantly related to the helper and model patient reputations for acute patients, suggesting its potential value as a dispositional variable also.     

Machiavellianism scores and self-rated performance of automobile salespersons

Machiavellianism (Mach-B) was positively correlated with self-reported number of vehicles sold and income in two samples of 80 car salespersons. The Mach-B scale showed higher internal consistency and significant relationship with sales performance. The Mach IV scale, used for one of two samples, showed low internal consistency and a nonsignificant relationship with performance. The results provided partial support for earlier findings. Research designed to clarify this finding is required.     

Exploratory study of black psychological health

Three groups of black men and women (primarily student groups) participated in this exploratory study which was designed to help participants define psychological health or wellbeing for themselves. Spirituality and religion were cited as being primary components of psychological health for all groups. However, the results are only suggestive given the small number of subjects. Finally, I discuss a distinction between spirituality and religion, developmental implications, and the role of oppression in defining black psychological health.