Machiavellianism (psychology)

In the field of personality psychology, Machiavellianism (sometimes abbreviated as MACH) is the name of a personality trait construct characterized by manipulativeness, indifference to morality, lack of empathy, and a calculated focus on self-interest.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] Psychologists Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis created the construct and named it after Niccolò Machiavelli, as they used truncated and edited statements similar to his writing style to study variations in human behaviors.^[5]^[6]^[7] The construct's relation to the thinker himself is exclusively nominal.^[8] Their Mach IV test, a 20-question, Likert-scale personality survey, became the standard self-assessment tool and scale of the Machiavellianism construct. Those who score high on the scale (High Machs) are more likely to have a high level of deceitfulness, exploitativeness and a cold, unemotional temperament.^[9]^[10]

It is one of the dark triad traits, along with the subclinical versions of narcissism and psychopathy.^[11]^[12]^[13]

^ Geis, Florence; Christie, Richard; Nelson, Carnot (1970). "In Search of the Machiavel". Studies in Machiavellianism. p. 76. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-174450-2.50010-5. ISBN 978-0-12-174450-2.
^ Jones, Daniel N.; Paulhus, Delroy L. (2009). "Machiavellianism". In Leary, Mark R.; Hoyle, Rick H. (eds.). Handbook of Individual Differences in Social Behavior. Guilford Press. pp. 93–108. ISBN 978-1-59385-647-2.
^
- "In sum, the key elements of Machiavellianism appear to be (a) manipulativeness, (b) callous affect, and (c) a strategic-calculating orientation." —-Jones & Paulhus 2014
- Furnham, Adrian; Treglown, Luke (27 April 2021). "The Dark Side of High-Fliers: The Dark Triad, High-Flier Traits, Engagement, and Subjective Success". Frontiers in Psychology. 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647676. PMC 8110703. PMID 33986711.
^ Jones, Daniel Nelson; Figueredo, Aurelio Jose (November 2013). "The Core of Darkness: Uncovering the Heart of the Dark Triad". European Journal of Personality. 27 (6): 521–531. doi:10.1002/per.1893.
^ Christie & Geis 1970, p. 10, 339.
^ Colman, Andrew M. (2015). "Machiavellianism". A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford University Press. p. 434. ISBN 978-0-19-965768-1.
^ Rauthmann, John F.; Will, Theresa (30 April 2011). "Proposing a Multidimensional Machiavellianism Conceptualization". Social Behavior and Personality. 39 (3): 391–403. doi:10.2224/sbp.2011.39.3.391.
^ Cohen, Aaron (2018). Counterproductive Work Behaviors. p. 121. doi:10.4324/9781315454818. ISBN 978-1-315-45481-8.
^ Spielberger & Butcher 2013.
^ Geis, F. L. (1978). "Machiavellianism". In London, Harvey; Exner, John E. (eds.). Dimensions of Personality. Wiley. pp. 305–363. ISBN 978-0-471-54392-3.
^ Paulhus, Delroy L; Williams, Kevin M (December 2002). "The Dark Triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy". Journal of Research in Personality. 36 (6): 556–563. doi:10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00505-6.
^ Lyons 2019, p. 2.
^ Furnham, Adrian; Richards, Steven C.; Paulhus, Delroy L. (March 2013). "The Dark Triad of Personality: A 10 Year Review". Social and Personality Psychology Compass. 7 (3): 199–216. doi:10.1111/spc3.12018.

[1] Geis, Florence; Christie, Richard; Nelson, Carnot (1970). "In Search of the Machiavel". Studies in Machiavellianism. p. 76. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-174450-2.50010-5. ISBN 978-0-12-174450-2.

[Jones-2009a-2] Jones, Daniel N.; Paulhus, Delroy L. (2009). "Machiavellianism". In Leary, Mark R.; Hoyle, Rick H. (eds.). Handbook of Individual Differences in Social Behavior. Guilford Press. pp. 93–108. ISBN 978-1-59385-647-2.

[3] 
"In sum, the key elements of Machiavellianism appear to be (a) manipulativeness, (b) callous affect, and (c) a strategic-calculating orientation." —-Jones & Paulhus 2014

Furnham, Adrian; Treglown, Luke (27 April 2021). "The Dark Side of High-Fliers: The Dark Triad, High-Flier Traits, Engagement, and Subjective Success". Frontiers in Psychology. 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647676. PMC 8110703. PMID 33986711.

[4] "In sum, the key elements of Machiavellianism appear to be (a) manipulativeness, (b) callous affect, and (c) a strategic-calculating orientation." —-Jones & Paulhus 2014

[5] Furnham, Adrian; Treglown, Luke (27 April 2021). "The Dark Side of High-Fliers: The Dark Triad, High-Flier Traits, Engagement, and Subjective Success". Frontiers in Psychology. 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647676. PMC 8110703. PMID 33986711.

[Jones_Figueredo_Core_of_Darkness-4] Jones, Daniel Nelson; Figueredo, Aurelio Jose (November 2013). "The Core of Darkness: Uncovering the Heart of the Dark Triad". European Journal of Personality. 27 (6): 521–531. doi:10.1002/per.1893.

[FOOTNOTEChristieGeis197010,_339-5] Christie & Geis 1970, p. 10, 339.

[Colman-2015-6] Colman, Andrew M. (2015). "Machiavellianism". A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford University Press. p. 434. ISBN 978-0-19-965768-1.

[Rauthmann-2011-7] Rauthmann, John F.; Will, Theresa (30 April 2011). "Proposing a Multidimensional Machiavellianism Conceptualization". Social Behavior and Personality. 39 (3): 391–403. doi:10.2224/sbp.2011.39.3.391.

[8] Cohen, Aaron (2018). Counterproductive Work Behaviors. p. 121. doi:10.4324/9781315454818. ISBN 978-1-315-45481-8.

[FOOTNOTESpielbergerButcher2013-9] Spielberger & Butcher 2013.

[Geis-1978-10] Geis, F. L. (1978). "Machiavellianism". In London, Harvey; Exner, John E. (eds.). Dimensions of Personality. Wiley. pp. 305–363. ISBN 978-0-471-54392-3.

[11] Paulhus, Delroy L; Williams, Kevin M (December 2002). "The Dark Triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy". Journal of Research in Personality. 36 (6): 556–563. doi:10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00505-6.

[FOOTNOTELyons20192-12] Lyons 2019, p. 2.

[13] Furnham, Adrian; Richards, Steven C.; Paulhus, Delroy L. (March 2013). "The Dark Triad of Personality: A 10 Year Review". Social and Personality Psychology Compass. 7 (3): 199–216. doi:10.1111/spc3.12018.

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