Walking the thin line between efficiency and accuracy: Validity and structural properties of the Dirty Dozen

► We examine the validity of the Dirty Dozen measure of the Dark Triad. ► The Dirty Dozen and the long-form measures similarly predicted sociosexuality. ► The Dirty Dozen taps into multiple dimensions assessed by the long-form measures. ► The structure of the Dirty Dozen is best explained using a bi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Personality and individual differences 2013-07, Vol.55 (1), p.76-81
Main Authors: Jonason, Peter K., Luévano, Victor X.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Dark Triad
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Machiavellianism
Narcissism
Personality. Affectivity
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychometrics
Psychopathy
Validation
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Summary:► We examine the validity of the Dirty Dozen measure of the Dark Triad. ► The Dirty Dozen and the long-form measures similarly predicted sociosexuality. ► The Dirty Dozen taps into multiple dimensions assessed by the long-form measures. ► The structure of the Dirty Dozen is best explained using a bifactor model. In this study (N=210), participants were sampled through the Mechanical Turk system to assess the validity and structural properties of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism). First, the correlations of the Dirty Dozen and long-form Dark Triad measures with sociosexual behaviors, attitudes, and desires, were generally consistent. Second, the scales of the Dirty Dozen measure modestly correlated with other measures of the same constructs as would be expected given the reduction in content-breadth. Third, the scales tap different dimensions (e.g., primary psychopathy, entitlement) of the older measures despite the loss of content. Fourth, a series of factor analyses revealed that the three dimensional structure replicates, but the data were best explained by a bifactor model. Despite traditional objections to short measures, if the short measure is up to the task of measuring its constructs and has good structural properties, it is a useful tool. Whereas the Dirty Dozen appears to provide conservative estimates of correlations it does appear to be a valid and psychometrically sound measure of the Dark Triad.
ISSN:0191-8869
1873-3549
DOI:10.1016/j.paid.2013.02.010