Relations Between Authoritarianism, Just World Beliefs, and the Dark Triad Life Philosophy

Abstract

This study examines whether latent biases about the world as a dangerous place lead to antisocial tendencies, suggesting that dark personality traits are not necessarily evil but condition-dependent solutions to analogous worldview perceptions. The application of this model indicates that the extent to which an individual exhibits dark personality traits is determined, in part, by their level of authoritarian ideology (i.e., high in RWA) and the extent to which personal beliefs in a just world moderate this relationship. A convenience non-probability sample of 211 participants (age range: 19–59 years, M_age = 32.76, SD = 11.87; 191 female participants) participated in the current online study. Moderation analysis was performed to assess if the influence of authoritarian ideology (RWA) on Dark Triad life philosophy is the same across different levels of personal beliefs in a just world. This study’s results provide evidence of the moderating influence of Personal Belief in a Just World such that the positive relationship between RWA and Machiavellianism was weakened among those with lower levels of Personal Belief in a Just World. Individual differences in Personal Belief in a Just World and authoritarian ideology (RWA) influence the Machiavellianism side of human nature.