Examining the Deviation From Balanced Time Perspective in the Dark Triad Throughout Adulthood

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Personality Science
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Dark Triad (DT) personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) are linked to fast life strategies and present-oriented time perspectives.
• Previous research suggests DT traits correlate with a biased temporal outlook, favoring immediate gratification over long-term planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the extent to which individuals high in DT traits deviate from a balanced time perspective (BTP).
• To examine the moderating effect of age on the relationship between DT traits and BTP.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two methods to quantify BTP: the Deviation from Balanced Time Perspective (DBTP) coefficient and a person-oriented approach.
• Analyzed data from 346 adult participants spanning a wide age range to assess age-related differences.

Main Results:

• Machiavellianism and psychopathy were significantly associated with a deviation from BTP, indicating a present-oriented bias.
• Higher narcissism scores were positively linked to a BTP profile.
• The positive association between narcissism and BTP was significant only in elderly individuals.

Conclusions:

• Machiavellianism and psychopathy consistently predict a deviation from a balanced time perspective.
• Narcissism's association with a balanced time perspective is age-dependent, benefiting older adults.
• Age moderates the temporal attitude of individuals with Dark Triad personality traits.