How dark personality traits predict digital abuse in romantic relationships

People with aggressive personality traits often engage in digital abuse against their romantic partners, with specific behaviors differing based on a person’s gender and psychological profile. This digital abuse ranges from constantly checking a partner’s location to threatening to post private photos online. A recent study published in the journal Deviant Behavior outlines how four malevolent personality traits predict the exact type of online abuse an individual might commit.

Intimate partner violence is a recognized health problem around the world. Historically, research has focused on physical or psychological abuse that happens in person. The rise of modern technology has created new avenues for harassment.

Digital platforms allow perpetrators to assert control over their partners from a distance. This phenomenon is known as intimate partner cyberviolence. It blurs the lines between physical reality and the online environment.

Digital abuse might actually be more common than traditional forms of relationship violence. Some estimates suggest that a large majority of adults have experienced at least one form of digital harassment. The most common behaviors involve controlling or monitoring a partner’s online activity.

The research team was led by Bojana M. Dinić, a psychology professor at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. Dinić and her colleagues, Danica Radosavljević and Christie Tetreault, wanted to understand the psychological drivers behind this modern form of abuse. They focused on a specific cluster of antisocial characteristics known as the Dark Tetrad.

The Dark Tetrad consists of four distinct personality traits associated with harmful interpersonal behavior. The first trait is Machiavellianism, named after the political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. People with this trait are highly cynical and manipulate others for personal gain.

The second trait is narcissism, which involves extreme self-involvement and a need for admiration. The researchers split this concept into two dimensions. One dimension involves an assertive desire to be praised, while the other involves an antagonistic desire to see others fail.

The third trait is psychopathy, a condition defined by a profound lack of empathy and remorse. The research team divided this trait into primary and secondary categories. The primary form is cold and calculating, while the secondary form is highly impulsive and erratic.

Sadism is the fourth trait that completes the dark personality profile. People with high levels of sadism find excitement in inflicting pain on others. They actively enjoy causing emotional or physical distress.

Dinić and her team realized that previous research often treated these personality traits as a single, broad category. They also noticed that digital abuse was usually measured as a singular concept. By separating the personality traits and the abusive behaviors into distinct categories, the team hoped to reveal hidden patterns.

The researchers recruited 293 heterosexual adults in Serbia to participate in the study. The participants were asked about their romantic histories and their own aggressive behaviors. They filled out detailed surveys measuring their personality traits and their history of engaging in digital abuse.

The survey about digital abuse asked about several distinct categories of controlling behavior. One category involved using spy cameras or location tracking software. Another category focused on bombarding a partner with excessive phone calls or texts.

A third category asked about making direct threats through digital messages. The final category covered behaviors like logging into a partner’s email account or checking their call history. Participants rated how often they had done these things to a current or former partner.

The survey data revealed a clear link between poor impulse control and certain types of abuse. Secondary psychopathy predicted excessive communication and constantly checking a partner’s online accounts. These behaviors are generally reactive and happen when a person acts without thinking.

Primary psychopathy predicted an entirely different set of abusive behaviors. This cold and calculating trait was linked to using tracking devices and posting embarrassing photos of a partner. These actions require planning and represent a severe violation of a partner’s privacy.

The two subtypes of narcissism also led to different forms of digital abuse. Narcissistic rivalry was linked to secretly checking a partner’s messages and call history. The researchers suspect that people who view life as a competition often treat their romantic partners as possessions.

Narcissistic admiration predicted the use of direct threats through texts or emails. People with this trait have a grandiose view of themselves and expect constant praise. They might use threats as a strategy to establish dominance and maintain power in their relationships.

Machiavellianism was the only trait that did not strongly predict most forms of digital abuse. People with this manipulative trait are highly strategic and avoid actions that might backfire. Since digital abuse leaves a permanent electronic record, these individuals likely avoid it to protect their own reputations.

The research team also discovered that men and women favor different methods of digital abuse. Men were more likely to use technology to monitor a partner with hidden cameras or tracking software. Women were more likely to engage in covert actions like checking a partner’s phone history.

The impact of the dark personality traits also varied depending on a person’s gender. For men, sadism was linked to using tracking devices and threatening a partner with private photos. For women, sadism was connected to secretly checking a partner’s digital accounts.

Narcissistic rivalry was connected to making direct threats, but only among the women in the study. In contrast, Machiavellianism was linked to making threats mostly among the men. The researchers suggest that societal expectations might explain these differing patterns of abuse.

Traditional gender roles often expect women to nurture and maintain relationship stability. This expectation might cause some women to monitor their partners to protect the relationship from perceived threats. Meanwhile, traditional roles often cast men as the dominant partner.

This expectation of male dominance might translate into the use of highly invasive tracking technology. Additionally, society often judges women more harshly regarding their sexuality. Because of this, sadistic men might derive particular enjoyment from threatening to post private photos of their female partners.

The research team noted a few limitations regarding their methods. The data relied entirely on self-reported surveys. Participants might have been hesitant to admit the full extent of their abusive behavior, meaning the actual rates of abuse could be higher.

The results were not statistically significant across every single demographic category. Additionally, the sample consisted solely of heterosexual adults living in Serbia. The patterns of digital abuse might look different in other cultures or in same-sex relationships.

The researchers recommended that future studies gather data from both partners in a relationship. They also suggested exploring how internet addiction might contribute to digital abuse. Investigating a person’s ability to regulate their emotions could also provide more clarity.

These insights could help mental health professionals design better intervention programs. Therapists could teach individuals to manage the specific impulses related to their darker personality traits. Education campaigns could also help people recognize these toxic traits in potential partners before abuse occurs.

On a larger scale, society needs better laws to protect victims of digital abuse. Many regions still do not classify the unauthorized sharing of intimate photos as a criminal offense. Tech companies should also design their platforms to prioritize user safety and privacy.

The study, “Relationships Between Intimate Partner Cyberviolence and Dark Tetrad Traits: A Moderation Effect of Gender,” was authored by Bojana M. Dinić, Danica Radosavljević & Christie Tetreault.