Determination of the Sexual Appeal of Age in Relationship to Dark Triad Personality Traits

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if a certain age group is seen as more sexually attractive to individuals with Dark Triad personality traits. Previous research has investigated women’s attraction to “psychopaths”; however, there is a significant gap in the literature on what someone with the traits of Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism finds attractive. It is hypothesized that individuals with high scores on the Short Dark Triad 3 questionnaire will be more attracted to middle-aged (40-50) individuals. As supported by the Evolutionary Psychology theory of resource recognition and acquisition, middle-aged individuals may seem more appealing to high-scoring Dark Triad individuals as middle-aged individuals would have more resources acquired as well as a possible desire for companionship. This cost-benefit analysis on the part of the Dark Triad individual would make the middle-aged individuals more appealing than younger (20-30) or older (60-70) individuals. Participants will view a series of portrait-style photographs while the EyeTribe, an eye tracking device, measures their pupillary response. As the study is ongoing with very few participants at present, data has not yet been analyzed. Once we establish particular traits of attractiveness that appeal to high Dark Triad personalities, such demographics can be taught to recognize warning signs in a relationship with the potential to be unhealthy.