{"title":"The dark side of personality and its somatic expression: Relationship between the Dark Triad, psychosomatic symptoms and somatosensory amplification","authors":"Violeta Tadić , Boris Kordić","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Dark Triad is characterized by emotional dysregulation, deficits in self-understanding and interpersonal functioning, as well as maladaptive defense mechanisms. While these traits have been linked to diverse health outcomes, their role in the psychosomatic domain remains limited, and the relationships explored remain unclear. This research examines the associations between the Dark Triad traits, psychosomatic symptoms, and somatosensory amplification in a student population (<em>N</em> = 296). While all Dark Triad traits were associated with somatosensory amplification, only psychopathy and Machiavellianism were linked to psychosomatic symptoms. Among the Dark Triad traits, Machiavellianism was the most prominent predictor in both cases. Somatosensory amplification emerged as a significant predictor of psychosomatic symptoms. Finally, the Sobel test indicated that somatosensory amplification mediates the association between Machiavellianism and psychopathy with psychosomatic symptoms. The results showed that the Dark Triad traits may play a significant role in predicting heightened somatic sensitivity and psychosomatic symptoms, with narcissism being excluded from the latter association; therefore, further research in this regard is required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145160231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-assessed intelligence is a self-esteem variable, not a test proxy measure: The relationship between personality, self-estimated and test-derived intelligence","authors":"Adrian Furnham , David S. Semmelink","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research explores the relationship between personality traits, self-estimated and test-derived intelligence. Participants completed two personality tests and an intelligence test. They were also asked to estimate their intelligence. Correlations indicate that there was no relationship between test-derived IQ at both subscale and total level but that it was related to many personality traits. The regression suggests few associations of demographic, test-derived IQ, or personality trait scores. This paper discusses what IQ estimates are a function of, and limitations are acknowledged.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113457"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Seeing emotions clearly: Emotional intelligence and the categorization of emotional pictures","authors":"Tehila Nadav , Ilona Glebov-Russinov , Avishai Henik","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emotional intelligence (EI) and emotional clarity (EC) are conceptualized as critical facets of emotional competence, yet their behavioral correlates remain underexplored. This study examined whether behavioral indicators derived from an emotional categorization task are associated with trait EI and EC. Participants (N = 154) categorized emotional pictures varying in valence and provided confidence ratings. Reaction time variability (sdRT), confidence level, and the probability of choosing a second emotion (PSE) were extracted, alongside the percent dominant response (PDR), reflecting clarity in emotional labeling. Participants also completed self-report measures of EI and EC. Structural models revealed that sdRT, PSE, and confidence were significantly associated with PDR, which was also associated with EI and EC, but only for positive stimuli. Notably, confidence was associated with EI. Greater performance consistency and confidence were observed for positive relative to negative stimuli. These findings the advance understanding of how performance-based indicators of momentary EC relates to trait-level emotional competencies, emphasizing the centrality of emotional labeling in emotional functioning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vlad Burtăverde , Peter K. Jonason , Anca Minulescu , Bogdan Oprea , Șerban A. Zanfirescu , Ștefan -C. Ionescu , Andreea M. Gheorghe
{"title":"Childhood trauma and life history strategies - the moderating role of childhood socio-economic status and the dark triad traits","authors":"Vlad Burtăverde , Peter K. Jonason , Anca Minulescu , Bogdan Oprea , Șerban A. Zanfirescu , Ștefan -C. Ionescu , Andreea M. Gheorghe","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated the potential link between childhood trauma and life history strategies, considering subclinical psychopathy, Machiavellianism, subclinical narcissism, and childhood socioeconomic status as potential moderators. Two hundred seventy participants (<em>M</em><sub><em>age</em></sub> = 20.45, <em>SD</em> = 4.20) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Short Dark Triad measure, the High-K Strategy Scale, and the childhood socioeconomic status brief questions. Participants who reported being subjected to high levels of trauma, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and/or emotional neglect during childhood also reported more characteristics resembling fast life history strategies and/or low childhood socioeconomic status. Subclinical narcissism was the only Dark Triad trait which shown a statistically significant relationship with life history strategies, being negatively correlated with fast life history strategies. However, out of the proposed moderators, only subclinical psychopathy moderated the relationship between self-reported childhood trauma and fast life history strategies by strengthening their relationship, albeit it was not associated with life history strategies. Self-reported childhood socioeconomic status was negatively associated with fast life history strategies, but its moderating effect was statistically insignificant. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring trauma-targeted assessments and interventions to individual differences in personality and shifting public health, social, and education policies from reactive towards preventative programs for at-risk youth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Longitudinal relationships between facets of mindfulness and components of aggression among Chinese college students: A cross-lagged panel network analysis","authors":"Wei Xu , Ruotong Zhang , Zh Yeng Chong","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Despite previous research has demonstrated negative associations between mindfulness and aggression generally, no consensus exists on the nature of this relationship, as few studies have simultaneously explored the dimensions of mindfulness and aggression. This study applied cross-lagged panel network analysis to estimate the longitudinal relationships between facets of mindfulness and components of aggression among Chinese college students.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 2242 Chinese college students (M<sub>age</sub> = 19.44, SD = 1.25; 69 % girls) completed self-reported questionnaires on demographics, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Chinese version of Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Data were collected at two times point.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After controlling for sociodemographic information, the observing facet exhibited the highest out-expected influence (out-EI) in the network, with describing and non-reactivity showing the highest in-expected influence (in-EI). In addition, the results indicated three strongest bridging edges: “observing→hostility”, “non-reactivity→hostility”, and “non-reactivity→anger”, implying that certain mindfulness facets may serve as predictors of aggression components.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Overall, these results suggested that practitioners may consider adjusting the sequences of mindfulness-based interventions strategies in practical application. Greater emphasis on explicit behaviors, such as physical and verbal aggression, may enhance intervention efficacy among Chinese college students.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xueting Zhang, Niels J. Van Doesum, Lotte F. Van Dillen, Eric Van Dijk
{"title":"Grateful but harsh? Dispositional gratitude predicts moral condemnation in the U.S., the UK, and China","authors":"Xueting Zhang, Niels J. Van Doesum, Lotte F. Van Dillen, Eric Van Dijk","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>People differ in their tendency to be grateful, and this affects interpersonal dynamics. Previous research found that individuals with high (versus low) levels of dispositional gratitude exhibited more prosocial behaviors. In this study we demonstrate that dispositional gratitude may also be associated with negative responses toward others. Specifically, we examined the link between dispositional gratitude and condemnations of various moral transgressions. Given that moral norms might be culture-specific, we recruited participants from the U.S., the UK, and China (<em>N</em> = 593 in total) to test potential cultural moderators. Results showed that the higher people scored on dispositional gratitude, the more morally wrong they evaluated transgressions to be, and the more punishment they thought that transgressors deserved. The associations were robust across moral domains, countries, and perceived levels of societal tightness. These findings underscore the pervasive and differentiated impact of dispositional gratitude in interpersonal relations, as it may not only increase prosocial behavior but also intensify negative responses to others who violate moral norms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113452"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eva K.J. Horton , Nathaniel E.C. Schermerhorn , Paul H.P. Hanel
{"title":"The impact of toxic masculinity on restrictive emotionality and mental health seeking support","authors":"Eva K.J. Horton , Nathaniel E.C. Schermerhorn , Paul H.P. Hanel","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many men struggle, at least occasionally, to talk about their feelings and to seek mental health support. Previous research has attributed this to gendered social norms requiring men to be tough and confident. In the present research, we investigate, across two studies, the role toxic masculinity, defined as the over-exaggeration of masculine social norms that perpetuate misogyny, plays in restrictive emotionality and intention to seek health support, as well as underlying mechanisms. Consistent with our predictions, we found that toxic masculinity, and associated variables such as aggression and dominance, were strongly linked to restrictive emotionality. Contrary to our predictions however, restrictive emotionality, but not toxic masculinity, predicted men's avoidance in seeking help for emotional problems and having suicidal thoughts. We discuss implications, limitations, and directions for future research to address issues surrounding men's mental health and improving service accessibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113459"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liang Li , Yujie Zhang , Benjamin Becker , Hong Li
{"title":"Associations between trait shyness and cerebellar spontaneous neural activity are mediated by behavioral inhibition","authors":"Liang Li , Yujie Zhang , Benjamin Becker , Hong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.paid.2025.113454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shyness, a personality trait characterized by discomfort and inhibition in social contexts, has a profound impact on individuals' social functioning. Despite its significance, the specific neural mechanisms underlying shyness remain poorly understood. The 2 × 2 model of shyness and sociability posits that shyness arises from a conflict between approach and avoidance motivations. Within this framework, the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and Behavioral Activation System (BAS) are widely regarded as reliable proxies for these opposing motivational tendencies. Therefore, this study employed resting-state fMRI and ReHo analyses to investigate the relationship between trait shyness and spontaneous neural activity in 42 healthy students (<em>M</em><sub>age</sub> = 21.36 ± 2.56), along with the mediating role of the BIS/BAS in this relationship. ReHo analysis revealed a significant association between lower spontaneous neural activity in the posterior cerebellum and higher levels of shyness; moreover, the BIS system partially mediated this link, whereas the BAS system showed no significant mediating effect. Robustness checks using inverse mediation analysis confirmed the specificity and robustness of this hypothesized pathway. These findings highlight the cerebellum's role in modulating individual differences in shyness through localized neural synchrony and emphasize the BIS system as a key mediator, offering potential implications for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing social adaptation in shy individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48467,"journal":{"name":"Personality and Individual Differences","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 113454"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}