Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism predict a preference for “one-night-stands”, “booty-calls”, and “friends-with-benefits."
A few papers and thread on the DT and sexual behavior. 🧵
sciencedirect.com
A few papers and thread on the DT and sexual behavior. 🧵
sciencedirect.com
The "Dark Triad" is selected for assortatively: people who score high in these traits are more likely to pick and form relationships with others who do as well.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The DT is often thought of something that benefits "short term" relationships - given that DT people seek casual sex.
But the assertive effect is even stronger for long-term relationships.
Why? Probably because your hook-ups become your LTRs.
sciencedirect.com
But the assertive effect is even stronger for long-term relationships.
Why? Probably because your hook-ups become your LTRs.
sciencedirect.com
Unsurprisingly, Dark Triad couples have lower relationship satisfaction.
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
Although there is a subculture of "dark seduction" Pick-Up Artistry that tells young men to mimic the DT to get casual sex, the DT is legitimately a dysfunctional personality construct.
You probably also won't be able to fake being DT for very long.
You probably also won't be able to fake being DT for very long.
As you'd expect, DT traits are strong predictors of abuse in relationships - physical, emotional, etc. All of it.
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
Dark Triad couples - lower marital satisfaction, higher divorce rates.
psycnet.apa.org
psycnet.apa.org
And the DT is heritable.
Unsurprising given that people assortatively select DT partners.
This is what gets passed on to their children.
sciencedirect.com
Unsurprising given that people assortatively select DT partners.
This is what gets passed on to their children.
sciencedirect.com
I only focused on relationships here, but we could also mention the typical things associated with antisocial personality traits: higher likelihood to be in jail, drop out of school, lower income, etc.
Let's go back to assortive meeting - this is the tendency for people to select partners who are similar to themselves.
This shows up across a wide range of behaviors and traits.
This shows up across a wide range of behaviors and traits.
Sometimes the effect is entirely unconscious. For example, assortative mating for blood type. How do they know?
Sometimes it is deliberate. For example, wealthy people choose not to date and marry poor people.
And sometimes (most often) it is a mix of both.
Sometimes it is deliberate. For example, wealthy people choose not to date and marry poor people.
And sometimes (most often) it is a mix of both.
Your environment will contribute to assortive effects as well.
For example, if your social group was formed in church it will have a different character than one formed in a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.
For example, if your social group was formed in church it will have a different character than one formed in a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.
Your behavior will determine the kind of people that you interact with.
Friends, spouses, short term sex partners, criminal conspirators - whatever.
Who you interact with is not random.
Friends, spouses, short term sex partners, criminal conspirators - whatever.
Who you interact with is not random.
This is something to keep in mind when you hear "women love bad boys" or "women don't like promiscuous men."
The two are not contradictory.
They are both true (to some extent) - but apply to different populations.
The two are not contradictory.
They are both true (to some extent) - but apply to different populations.
The woman whose baby's father is in prison was not attracted to the same kind of man as the woman whose husband is the church deacon.
These two women had very different life trajectories that began upstream of even meeting a romantic partner.
These two women had very different life trajectories that began upstream of even meeting a romantic partner.
This also means that if your goal is to find a monogamous relationship, following "King Cunnyslayer's 10 Tips To Trick Women Into Bed" PUA guide is not going to get you there.
Something else that I should mention here: people erroneously believe that having more sexual partners is an indication that a man is more attractive.
After all - how could you have so much sex if you weren't?
After all - how could you have so much sex if you weren't?
In the case of DT men - they simply lower their standards. They have more sex with less attractive women.
scottbarrykaufman.com
scottbarrykaufman.com
We also don't see large correlations with male physical attractiveness and sociosexuality. R = .13 here for example.
Nor with total lifetime partner count. Attractive men on average have only a few more.
The drive for promiscuity is beyond "I look good enough to bang."
Nor with total lifetime partner count. Attractive men on average have only a few more.
The drive for promiscuity is beyond "I look good enough to bang."
Put another way - the difference between a man with a high body count and one without is mostly personality or behavior.
Two men look alike - one chooses promiscuity, one stays married for 10 years.
The DT is an example of one of those personality diffs.
Two men look alike - one chooses promiscuity, one stays married for 10 years.
The DT is an example of one of those personality diffs.
I have talked about how DT people seek out casual sex.
I should also add that lifetime sexual partner count is an artifact of failed relationships.
It isn't a pure measure of "I wanted NSA casual sex a lot."
Relevant that the DT contributes to relationship failure.
I should also add that lifetime sexual partner count is an artifact of failed relationships.
It isn't a pure measure of "I wanted NSA casual sex a lot."
Relevant that the DT contributes to relationship failure.
People who have impairments to their ability to maintain monogamous relationships have more lifetime sexual partners.
They try to form relationships, have sex, and break up after a short period.
They may not even be short-term oriented at all.
They try to form relationships, have sex, and break up after a short period.
They may not even be short-term oriented at all.
There is the meme of "too much sex harms a woman's ability to pair bond."
This gets it backwards.
People who can't form pair bonds (this is partly genetic) rack up more sexual partners.
This also applies to men.
datepsychology.com
This gets it backwards.
People who can't form pair bonds (this is partly genetic) rack up more sexual partners.
This also applies to men.
datepsychology.com
Anyway - all things to consider when you ask:
Who has a lot of sex?
Why promiscuity (instead of forming monogamous relationships)?
What kind of people have sex more, with who, and why?
Who has a lot of sex?
Why promiscuity (instead of forming monogamous relationships)?
What kind of people have sex more, with who, and why?
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