Assessing the role of aggression, empathy, and self‐serving cognitive distortions in trait emotional manipulation

Abstract

This study extended the examination of the predictors of emotional manipulation. Participants (N = 243) completed measures of trait emotional manipulation, emotional intelligence, social skills, psychopathy, aggression, empathy, and self-serving cognitive distortions in a cross-sectional correlational design. For males, higher levels of emotional intelligence, social information processing, indirect aggression, and self-serving cognitive distortions significantly predicted emotional manipulation. For females, being younger, higher levels of emotional intelligence, indirect aggression, primary psychopathic traits, and lower levels of social awareness significantly predicted emotional manipulation. However for females, emotional intelligence acted as a suppressor. These findings support previous indications that the mechanisms behind emotional manipulation differ as a function of gender. Future research could include ability, rather than trait measures of emotional manipulation, as well as the role of context (such as intimate relationships or workplace environments), thereby allowing additional examination of the nomological network of emotional manipulation.

Web of deceit: Relationships between the dark triad, perceived ability to deceive and cyberloafing

“…For individuals exhibiting psychopathic traits, low conscientiousness can manifest as lacking a sense of responsibility, lacking forethought or deliberation, and difficulty with self-discipline required to see a task through to completion, despite boredom and distractions; such characteristics may result in antagonistic behaviour (Widiger & Lynam, 1998). Subclinical psychopaths demonstrate greater risk-taking behaviour and impulsivity (Jones & Paulhus, 2011), and emotional deficits (Grieve & Panebianco, 2013). With impulsivity and orientation toward short-term rewards it is likely that people with high levels of these traits do not bother weighing up whether they will be caught out, or do not carefully consider potential consequences of being caught, thus contributing to their cyberloafing behaviour.…”

“…The concept of the 'successful psychopath' has drawn considerable interest with high levels of subclinical psychopathy evident in many executives (Babiak, Neumann, & Hare, 2010). However, the callousness (Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995), impulsivity (Jones & Paulhus, 2011), and lack of empathy (Grieve & Panebianco, 2013) that these individuals possess can also be problematic. Narcissists exhibit socially extraverted characteristics, and often make a good first impression (Holtzman, Vazire, & Mehl, 2010), but their feelings of grandiosity, superiority, and a sense of entitlement (Emmons, 1987), mean that people's opinions of narcissistic individuals sour over time as their true nature emerges (Rauthmann, 2012).…”

“…As some sex differences in Dark Triad traits exist (e.g. Grieve & Panebianco, 2013), future studies might take gender into account as an additional variable. In the meantime, it is important not to overgeneralise our findings.…”

Blinded By the Light: The Dark Side of Traditionally Desirable Personality Traits

“…Further work on the “dark side” of EI demonstrates that while most individuals who are high in EI are also high in moral identity and low in Machiavellianism, there are individuals who are high in EI and Machiavellianism, and these individuals can cause harm through their ability to control and manage others' emotions (Côté et al, ). Evidence suggests EI is also moderately correlated with emotional manipulation ( r = .29), or purposeful manipulation of someone's feelings for personal gain, particularly for men (Grieve & Panebianco, ). In other words, it appears that the (typically positive) trait of EI can sometimes be misunderstood or intentionally used for “dark” or maladaptive purposes.…”

Perceived emotional intelligence and aggression among adults: The moderating role of gender

“…In addition, a growing amount of research in recent years has explored the relationship between aggressive behaviour and individual characteristics, such as personality traits, attitudes, values, long‐term goals, empathy, bullying behaviour at school, etc. (Anderson & Bushman, ; Buck, Leenaars, Emmelkamp, & van Marle, ; Grieve & Panebianco, ; Homel, ; Nóblega, ; Wheeler et al., ). However, few studies have specifically explored the relationship between aggressive behaviour and perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) among adults.…”