The role of emotional intelligence and emotional stability in Machiavellian decision-making Linda Szijjártó-Tamás Bereczkei
University of Pécs
www.evolutionpsychology.com
Machiavellianism is a combination of a behavioural strategy characterised by the tendency to manipulate and exploit others, and a worldview resting upon cynicism and opportunism.
In the last decade Machiavellianism was intensively studied in evolutionary psychology.
One of the crucial question is how Machiavellian people regulate their emotions in the serve of manipulation? In order to answer this question, we measured emotional intelligence and personality features, including Neuroticism of the Machiavellian people.
Introduction
1. Participants:
160 university students (60 males and 97 females), between 17 and 44 years of age, participated in our study (mean: 21.9, standard deviation: 3,522), all of them studying at various faculties of the University of Pécs. The subjects volunteered to participate in the experiment and did not receive any financial
remuneration for participation.
2. Procedure:
We assessed the level of Machiavellism by the Mach IV. Questionnaire developed by Christie and Geis. It consists of 20 statements; half of them are taken from Machiavelli’s The Prince or represent its mentality, the other half expresses an opposite mentality. Participants have to mark on a seven-grade Likert-type scale the extent they agree with the statements.
To measure neuroticism, we applied the Big Five Inventory (BFI). It’s a self-report inventory designed to measure the Big Five dimensions. It consists 44 items.
To measure emotional intelligence, we used the Schutte Self- Report Emotional Intelligence Scale (SSREI). This questionnaire contains 6 factors: expression of emotions, assessing emotions( others and self) emotional regulation (others and self) , using emotions through problem solving.
Materials and methods
1.We presumed that no correlation exists between the level of Machiavellianism and the level of emotional intelligence.
2.We assumed a negative correlation between the level of Machiavellianism and emotional expression.
3.We hypothesized that there is a positive correlation between Machiavellianism and the level of Neoroticism.
Hypothesis
1. Our first hypothesis has been supported: we found no significant relationship between the level of emotional intelligence and
Machiavellianism (r=-.089 p>.005=.276) .
2. Our second hypothesis has been also supported; there is a negative significant relationship between the scores on emotional expression and the scores on Machiavellianism (mean values r=-.241; p=.003).
3. Correlation analysis showed a strong, positive and significant
correlation between the level of Machiavellianism and emotional stability (neuroticism) (r=,265; p=.001).
Our results suggest that participants with high level of Machiavellianism have a low level of emotional stability and a low ability of expressing emotions. These results may refine the prevalent conception about the cool-minded thinking of Machiavellians. They do not simply emotionally detach themselves from the situation, but
behave in a more complex way. The manipulative relationship with others evokes intensive emotions in them but they can hide these emotions on their nonverbal and verbal behaviour. This is a highly adaptive means of efficiently exploiting the group members.
References Contact
For further information, please turn to :
The Evolutionary Psychology Research Group of Pécs www.evolutionpsychology.com
Or contact the first author via the following e-mail address:
lindaszijjarto@gmail.com Christie, R., Geis, F. L. (1970). Studies in machivaellanism. New York:
Academic Press
Czibor, A. and Bereczkei T. (2012) Machiavellian people’s
success results from monitoring their partners. Personality and Individual Differences, 53, 202-206.
Fehr, B., Samsom, D., Paulhus, D. L. (1992). The construct of
Machiavellianism: Twenty years later. In: Spielberger, C. D., Butcher, J.
N. (Eds.), Advances in personality assessment. Vo1. 9. pp.77-116 Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Hall, L. E., Haggerty,D. J., Cooper, J. T.,
Golden, C. J., Dornheim, L. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual
Differences Vol.25. pp.1 67-177 SROP-4.2.2./B-10/1-2010-0029
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