Examining the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) Across Models, Correlates, and Gender.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• The Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) measures interpersonally aversive traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
• Previous research has not comprehensively evaluated structural models of these traits, their measurement invariance across genders, or their predictive validity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare four distinct structural models of the SD4 traits.
• To assess measurement invariance of these models between males and females.
• To examine the predictive utility of the SD4 factors for intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large sample of young adults (N = 3,975).
• Compared four latent variable models: confirmatory factor analytic (CFA), bifactor, exploratory structural equation model (ESEM), and a reduced-item CFA.
• Evaluated model fit, measurement invariance (males vs. females), and prediction of external correlates.

Main Results:

• All four models demonstrated good precision in accounting for item covariance, with variations in incremental fit.
• Strong measurement invariance was observed across all models for both males and females.
• The models similarly predicted external correlates, indicating differential predictive effects of the SD4 factors.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the existence of four theoretically distinct yet overlapping dark personality domains.
• The study provides robust structural validation for the SD4 traits and their measurement across genders.
• The research highlights the nuanced predictive power of narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism in understanding personality.