Dark Triad Personality and Cyber-Aggression: The Mediation of Antisocial Behaviour
Keywords:
Dark Triad Personality, Cyber-Aggression, Antisocial Behaviour, Mediation, Quadripartite Violence TypologyAbstract
The present study aims to investigate the mediating effect of antisocial behaviour on the relationship between the dark triad personality and cyber-aggression. The study has three research objectives which it to investigate the mediating effects of antisocial behaviour on the relationship between (1) Machiavellianism, (2) Psychopathy, and (3) Narcissism on the different types of cyber-aggression (impulsive-appetitive, impulsive-aversive, controlled-appetitive, controlled-aversive). A cross-sectional research design was employed to collect data from Malaysians undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in a university in Malaysia, at least 18 years old, and actively uses social media daily. The present study employed the Dirty Dozen Scale, Subtypes of Antisocial Behaviour Scale, and Cyber-Aggression Typology Questionnaire which were distributed using the online survey method. In total, 266 responses were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling. The results show that there were no mediation effects of antisocial behaviour on the relationships between Machiavellianism and narcissism with all forms of cyber-aggression. However, mediating effects of antisocial behaviour have been found on the relationship between psychopathy and all forms of cyber-aggression. Results imply that individuals with high levels of psychopathy would only engage in cyber-aggressive acts if they are involved in antisocial behaviours, effectively making it a potential risk factor.
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