"Dark Personalities Find Satisfaction in Relationships with Similar Traits"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by PsyPost
A study published in the Journal of Personality suggests that individuals with Dark Triad traits (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) tend to be more satisfied in romantic relationships when their partner also possesses similar dark traits. The research, conducted on 205 heterosexual couples, found that dissimilarity in psychopathy and narcissism had negative effects on relationship satisfaction, while higher levels of Machiavellianism consistently led to lower satisfaction in both partners. The study also revealed that women's self-reported and partner-reported Dark Triad traits had a greater impact on both their own and their partners' relationship satisfaction, which was surprising given that these traits are typically considered more detrimental in men. However, the study's cross-sectional design limits causal interpretations, and future research should employ longitudinal designs to better understand the effects of Dark Triad traits on relationship satisfaction over time.