How Dark Is the Core of Dark Personality Traits?

Abstract: Previous research on the organizing structure of the Dark Triad (DT) personality traits has consistently found support for the presence of a strong commonality among the DT traits. However, such research has typically relied on a data collection method (e.g., single-source data, multiple traits measured together at the same time) that increases the likelihood of common method variance (CMV) that can artifactually increase the covariance between item scores. In the current study, we administered the 27-item Short Dark Triad (SD3) to 509 working adults in South Korea. Specifically, we added a procedural remedy to mitigate the effect of CMV (temporal separation of 2–5 days between measures), then used a bifactor model to extract a general core of the DT traits along with specific variance that is unique to each trait. Then, we calculated several model-based psychometric indices (omega coefficients, explained common variance) to examine the relative strength of the general and specific variances. Additionally, we examined the degree to which unique variance associated with each DT trait provides incremental validity beyond prediction provided by the commonality among the DT traits for predicting counterproductive work behavior. Results showed that the empirical overlap among the DT traits was not as strong as indicated in previous research.