Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and Narcissism in the Five-Factor Model and the HEXACO model of personality structure

We investigated the relations of the “Dark Triad” personality traits—Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and Narcissism—with the variables of the Five-Factor Model and the HEXACO model of personality structure. Results (N = 164) indicated that all three Dark Triad traits were strongly negatively correlated (rs = −0.72, −0.57, and −0.53, respectively) with the HEXACO Honesty–Humility factor. Psychopathy and Machiavellianism showed moderate negative correlations with Big Five Agreeableness (rs = −0.39 and −0.44, respectively), but Narcissism did not (r = −0.04). However, Narcissism correlated positively with Big Five Extraversion (r = 0.46) and HEXACO Extraversion (r = 0.49). Correlations among the Dark Triad variables were explained satisfactorily by the HEXACO variables, but not by the Five-Factor Model variables.