The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups

One of the most significant challenges in adolescence is the pursuit of social acceptance, which can manifest in various forms, including likeability and popularity. Achieving social acceptance is associated with positive outcomes, while its absence is linked to adverse consequences. Existing resear...

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Main Authors: Zsolt Péter Szabó, Natália Zsuzsanna Orosz, Réka Gulyás, András Láng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology 2024-08-01
Series:Europe's Journal of Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.11667
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author Zsolt Péter Szabó
Natália Zsuzsanna Orosz
Réka Gulyás
András Láng
author_facet Zsolt Péter Szabó
Natália Zsuzsanna Orosz
Réka Gulyás
András Láng
author_sort Zsolt Péter Szabó
collection DOAJ
description One of the most significant challenges in adolescence is the pursuit of social acceptance, which can manifest in various forms, including likeability and popularity. Achieving social acceptance is associated with positive outcomes, while its absence is linked to adverse consequences. Existing research into the personality determinants impacting the ability to elicit likeability or gain popularity remains limited, primarily focusing on the influence of Big Five traits. This study aimed to explore the relationships between self-reported Dark Triad traits -encompassing Machiavellianism, subclinical psychopathy, and subclinical narcissism- and peer-rated likeability and popularity in a naturalistic high school classroom setting. The sample comprised 184 secondary students (98 females, 86 males) with an average age of 16.29 (SD = 1.36). Participants self-reported their Dark Triad traits and provided peer ratings through sociometric questions related to likeability and popularity. Our findings indicated that narcissism was significantly and positively associated with both likeability and popularity. In contrast, psychopathy and Machiavellianism exhibited minimal associations with measures of social acceptance. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
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spelling doaj-art-d891048461524fdfa923330f7cf1233a2025-08-20T01:55:21ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyEurope's Journal of Psychology1841-04132024-08-0120316517710.5964/ejop.11667ejop.11667The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent GroupsZsolt Péter Szabó0Natália Zsuzsanna Orosz1Réka Gulyás2András Láng3Institute of Strategy and Management, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Social Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Social Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryInstitute of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, HungaryOne of the most significant challenges in adolescence is the pursuit of social acceptance, which can manifest in various forms, including likeability and popularity. Achieving social acceptance is associated with positive outcomes, while its absence is linked to adverse consequences. Existing research into the personality determinants impacting the ability to elicit likeability or gain popularity remains limited, primarily focusing on the influence of Big Five traits. This study aimed to explore the relationships between self-reported Dark Triad traits -encompassing Machiavellianism, subclinical psychopathy, and subclinical narcissism- and peer-rated likeability and popularity in a naturalistic high school classroom setting. The sample comprised 184 secondary students (98 females, 86 males) with an average age of 16.29 (SD = 1.36). Participants self-reported their Dark Triad traits and provided peer ratings through sociometric questions related to likeability and popularity. Our findings indicated that narcissism was significantly and positively associated with both likeability and popularity. In contrast, psychopathy and Machiavellianism exhibited minimal associations with measures of social acceptance. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.11667dark triad personality traitsmachiavellianismnarcissismpsychopathysocial acceptancelikeabilitypopularity
spellingShingle Zsolt Péter Szabó
Natália Zsuzsanna Orosz
Réka Gulyás
András Láng
The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
Europe's Journal of Psychology
dark triad personality traits
machiavellianism
narcissism
psychopathy
social acceptance
likeability
popularity
title The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
title_full The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
title_fullStr The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
title_full_unstemmed The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
title_short The Associations of Peer-Rated Popularity and Likeability With Dark Triad Personality Traits in Adolescent Groups
title_sort associations of peer rated popularity and likeability with dark triad personality traits in adolescent groups
topic dark triad personality traits
machiavellianism
narcissism
psychopathy
social acceptance
likeability
popularity
url https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.11667
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