Examining Academic Performance Through the Lens of Dark Tetrad Personality Traits

Presentation by Amelia Varghese

Introduction

• Academic performance is influenced by personality traits, including the

Dark Tetrad:

• Machiavellianism – being manipulative to achieve goals.
• Narcissism – excessive self-love or self-centered.
• Psychopathy – lack of empathy, and little remorse for actions; impulsive.
• Sadism – enjoyment of cruelty, disruptive behavior.

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• These traits may affect study habits, motivation, academic dishonesty, and peer interactions.

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Introduction

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• 65% of high school students exhibited at least one Dark Tetrad trait (Chabrol, 2015).
• Impulsivity and lack of empathy, are linked to academic difficulties and behavioral problems

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in high school settings (Book et al. 2006).

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Review of Literature

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• Međedović & Petrović (2015) found that sadistic traits are tied to aggression and hostility, disrupting learning environments and academic progress.
• According to Chabrol et al. (2015) high school students that exhibit dark tetrad personality traits are at risk for antisocial behaviours.

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Chabrol, Henri, et al. “The dark tetrad: Identifying personality profiles in high-school students.” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 83, Sept. 2015, pp. 97–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.051.

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Problem

Purpose

Hypothesis

The threat of dark tetrad traits among high school students

Find a correlation between The Dark Tetrad and academic performance

High Schoolers that exhibit high levels of Dark Tetrad traits have a lower gpa

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Methodology

Participants

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n= 62 students

(46 females (27.4%)

16 males (72.6%))

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Analysis

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Correlation and regression to examine trait-performance relationships

Survey

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-Measured: Dark Tetrad traits using the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4), Study Habits using Study Habits Inventory Scale

-Responses: 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree).

-Data Collection: Anonymous online survey via (Google Forms, Qualtrics, etc.).

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Methodology

Short Dark Triad Scale (SD3) 27-item questionnaire:

• Machiavellianism (manipulation)
• Narcissism (self-importance, entitlement)
• Psychopathy (impulsivity, lack of empathy)
• Responses recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree).

ie: “I like to get revenge on authorities.” (Psychopathy)

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The Short Sadistic Impulse Scale (SSIS) 9-item questionnaire:

• Assesses impulsive and sadistic tendencies in behavior and decision-making.
• Items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree).

ie:"I sometimes act cruelly without thinking about the consequences."

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Academic Performance & Study Habits Survey 16 item questionnaire:

• Self-reported GPA collected to measure academic success.
• Questions on study habits, motivation, and engagement, rated on a 5-point Likert scale.

ie:“Do you follow a daily schedule?”

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n=62

r=-0.11

r²=0.01

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n=62

r=-0.16

r²=0.03

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n=62

r=0.18

r²=0.03

n=62

r=-0.02

r²=0

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n=62

r=-0.07

r²=0.005

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n=62

r=-0.19

r²=0.04

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n=62

r=-0.13

r²=0.02

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n=62

r=-0.20

r²=0.04

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r=-0.05

r²=0

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r=0.20

r²=0.04

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Discussion - Summary and significance

• This is the first study to examine The Dark Tetrad traits with GPA and study score among adolescent
• Results indicate weak to moderate correlations between Dark Tetrad traits and academic performance overall, but for GPA there is a slight cor
• Specifically, the analysis of
• The correlations suggest that Dark Tetrad traits may influence academic performance, but the effect is not strong.

Discussion

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• Limitations:
• Low participation may affect how well findings represent the whole group
• There could be potential bias in responses affecting validity of the results
• There isn't much past research to compare the findings toa

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• Future Research:
• A longer study on how changes in traits correspond with academics through time
• Study done to comprare work environment VS. levels of dark traits exhibited
• This study will contribute to our understanding of human behavior in educational settings
• to inform interventions for students exhibiting these traits

Conclusion

• Goal: Determine if there is a correlation between high school academics like GPA , and study habits and levels of Dark tetrad traits they exhibit. To contribute to the broader understanding of how personality factors impact academic success.
• Methods: Conducted a survey-based study using the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4) and a self-reported academic performance scale. Analyzed data using correlation and regression analysis to identify potential relationships between traits and academic outcomes.
• Results: Dark Tetrad traits may shape academic behavior, but they are not sole predictors of failure.

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References

• Chester, David, et al. Sadism and Aggressive Behaviour: Inflicting Pain to Feel Pleasure, 5 Nov. 2018, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/cvgkb.
• Međedović, Janko, and Boban Petrović. “The dark tetrad.” Journal of Individual Differences, vol. 36, no. 4, Nov. 2015, pp. 228–236, https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000179.
• Wygant, Dustin B. “DSM-5 antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy: Is it closer to the target than DSM-IV?” PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1037/e571212013-110.
• Ribeiro, Rita Alexandra, and Cristina Branca Soeiro. “Analysing criminal profiling validity: Underlying problems and Future Directions.” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, vol. 74, Jan. 2021, p. 101670, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101670.
• Chabrol, Henri, et al. “The dark tetrad: Identifying personality profiles in high-school students.” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 83, Sept. 2015, pp. 97–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.051.
• Rassin, Eric, et al. “Dark personality traits and deception, and the short dark tetrad (SD4) as Integrity Screening Instrument.” Scientific Reports, vol. 14, no. 1, 3 Jan. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50968-7.
• Book, Angela, et al. “Unpacking more ‘evil’: What is at the core of the Dark Tetrad?” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 90, Feb. 2016, pp. 269–272, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.009.

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