Measuring Machiavellianism with Mach V: a psychometric investigation

Area of Science:

• Psychological Measurement
• Organizational Behavior
• Business Management

Background:

• The Mach V Scale is frequently used to assess Machiavellianism in business contexts.
• Previous research has reported varying levels of reliability for the Mach V Scale.
• Assessing instrument reliability is crucial for valid research findings in management studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the psychometric reliability of the Mach V Scale.
• To compare the reliability of two distinct scoring procedures: Christie's system and Rogers and Semin's alternative system.
• To determine the scale's suitability for use with business managers.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 123 business managers.
• Two scoring procedures were applied to the Mach V Scale data.
• Reliability was assessed using conventionally accepted statistical standards.

Main Results:

• Reliability estimates for the Mach V Scale were consistently below acceptable criteria.
• Both scoring systems yielded unreliable results, irrespective of the assessment method.
• The alternative scoring system offered negligible improvement in precision for hypothesis testing.

Conclusions:

• The Mach V Scale demonstrates significant reliability issues when applied to business managers.
• The scale's low reliability undermines its utility in research and practice.
• Further investigation into alternative measurement tools for Machiavellianism is warranted.