DARK PERSONALITY, DARK
TRAITS? THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN INSECURE
ATTACHMENT AND DARK TRIAD
PERSONALITY
Bachelor Thesis GGZ3026
Name: Jessie Janssen
Student ID: i6199076
E-mail:
Bachelor: Mental Health Sciences
University: Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences
Supervisor: Jeffrey Roelofs
Co-supervisor: Cor Meesters
Date: 02-07-2021
, Abstract
Attachment, which is defined as feeling an emotionally close connection to
another individual, can develop in both positive and negative ways. When a child is
unable to connect to an attachment figure in times of stress or danger, insecure
attachment can develop. Insecure attachment has been linked to Dark Triad traits
(Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) in earlier studies. The current
systematic literature review used 6 studies to deepen the knowledge on this
relationship. The literature revealed that Machiavellianism is the trait most strongly
related to insecure attachment in childhood. Psychopathy came second in its strength
of relationship with insecure attachment, and only 50% of the studies focusing on
narcissism showed a relationship between this trait and insecure attachment. The
results should be interpreted with caution however, as the samples were not
generalizable and the psychometric properties of some measures that were used did
not cover the full dimension of Dark Triad.
1
, Table of Contents
1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...4
1.1 Attachment……………………………………………………………..4
1.2 The Dark Triad…………………………………………………………5
1.3 Insecure attachment & Dark Triad personality: the relationship………7
1.4 Aims of the current review…………………………………………….8
2 Methods……………………………………………………………………….……….9
2.1 Study eligibility……………………………………………………..….9
2.2 Information sources & search strategy…………………………………9
2.3 Study selection…………………………………………………….…..10
2.4 Data collection…………………………………………….……..……10
3 Results………………………………………………………………………………...11
3.1 Study characteristics…………………………………………………..11
3.2 Major findings………………………………………………………...11
3.2.1 Article 1: The making of Darth Vader: Parent-child
care and the Dark Triad………………………….11
3.2.2 Article 2: Dark personalities – dark relationships? An
investigation of the relation between the Dark Tetrad
and attachment styles……………………………..13
3.2.3 Article 3: Dark Triad traits, recalled and current quality
of the parent-child relationship: A non-western
replication and extension…………………………14
3.2.4 Article 4: Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in
General Interpersonal Relationships and Close
Relationships………………………………….….17
2
, 3.2.5 Article 5: Narcissism and recollections of early life
experiences………………………………………18
3.2.6 Article 6: Recalled parental bonding, current
attachment, and the triarchic conceptualization of
psychopathy………………………………………19
4 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………22
4.1 Major findings……………………………………………….……….22
4.2 Limitations and future directions…………………………………….25
4.3 Conclusion……………………………………………………………26
5 Reference list…………………………………………………………………………28
6 Appendix A. Table 2…………………………………………………………………37
3
TRAITS? THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN INSECURE
ATTACHMENT AND DARK TRIAD
PERSONALITY
Bachelor Thesis GGZ3026
Name: Jessie Janssen
Student ID: i6199076
E-mail:
Bachelor: Mental Health Sciences
University: Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences
Supervisor: Jeffrey Roelofs
Co-supervisor: Cor Meesters
Date: 02-07-2021
, Abstract
Attachment, which is defined as feeling an emotionally close connection to
another individual, can develop in both positive and negative ways. When a child is
unable to connect to an attachment figure in times of stress or danger, insecure
attachment can develop. Insecure attachment has been linked to Dark Triad traits
(Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) in earlier studies. The current
systematic literature review used 6 studies to deepen the knowledge on this
relationship. The literature revealed that Machiavellianism is the trait most strongly
related to insecure attachment in childhood. Psychopathy came second in its strength
of relationship with insecure attachment, and only 50% of the studies focusing on
narcissism showed a relationship between this trait and insecure attachment. The
results should be interpreted with caution however, as the samples were not
generalizable and the psychometric properties of some measures that were used did
not cover the full dimension of Dark Triad.
1
, Table of Contents
1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...4
1.1 Attachment……………………………………………………………..4
1.2 The Dark Triad…………………………………………………………5
1.3 Insecure attachment & Dark Triad personality: the relationship………7
1.4 Aims of the current review…………………………………………….8
2 Methods……………………………………………………………………….……….9
2.1 Study eligibility……………………………………………………..….9
2.2 Information sources & search strategy…………………………………9
2.3 Study selection…………………………………………………….…..10
2.4 Data collection…………………………………………….……..……10
3 Results………………………………………………………………………………...11
3.1 Study characteristics…………………………………………………..11
3.2 Major findings………………………………………………………...11
3.2.1 Article 1: The making of Darth Vader: Parent-child
care and the Dark Triad………………………….11
3.2.2 Article 2: Dark personalities – dark relationships? An
investigation of the relation between the Dark Tetrad
and attachment styles……………………………..13
3.2.3 Article 3: Dark Triad traits, recalled and current quality
of the parent-child relationship: A non-western
replication and extension…………………………14
3.2.4 Article 4: Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in
General Interpersonal Relationships and Close
Relationships………………………………….….17
2
, 3.2.5 Article 5: Narcissism and recollections of early life
experiences………………………………………18
3.2.6 Article 6: Recalled parental bonding, current
attachment, and the triarchic conceptualization of
psychopathy………………………………………19
4 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………22
4.1 Major findings……………………………………………….……….22
4.2 Limitations and future directions…………………………………….25
4.3 Conclusion……………………………………………………………26
5 Reference list…………………………………………………………………………28
6 Appendix A. Table 2…………………………………………………………………37
3
