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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Couple dominance, dark personality traits, and power motivation}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Couple dominance, dark personality traits, and power motivation}}
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|title=Couple dominance, dark personality traits, and power motivation - Top Italian Scientists Journal|
|title=Couple dominance, dark personality traits, and power motivation - Top Italian Scientists Journal
description=In romantic couples, there is usually an asymmetry in decisional power such that one partner is dominant and the other is subordinate
|description=In romantic couples, there is usually an asymmetry in decisional power such that one partner is dominant and the other is subordinate.
|keywords=Couple dominance; explicit power; implicit power; psychopathy; borderline; narcissism; autistic-like trait
|keywords=Couple dominance; explicit power; implicit power; psychopathy; borderline; narcissism; autistic-like trait
|citation_author=Borráz-León, Javier I.;Scrivner, Coltan; Schultheiss, Oliver C.; Lee, Royce; Maestripieri, Dario
|citation_author=Borráz-León, Javier I.;Scrivner, Coltan; Schultheiss, Oliver C.; Lee, Royce; Maestripieri, Dario
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|citation_volume=1
|citation_volume=1
|citation_issue=1
|citation_issue=1
|citation_doi=-
|citation_doi=10.62684/JAZJ6280
|citation_issn=3033-5132
|citation_pdf_url=
|citation_abstract_html_url=
|}}
|}}
<b>Javier I. Borráz-León</b><sup>(1)</sup>, <b>Coltan Scrivner</b><sup>(1,4)</sup>, <b>Oliver C. Schultheiss</b><sup>(2)</sup>, <b>Royce Lee</b><sup>(3)</sup>, <b>[https://primate.uchicago.edu/dario-maestripieri.html Dario Maestripieri]</b><sup>(1,4)</sup>
<sup>(1)</sup> Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
<sup>(2)</sup> Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
<sup>(3)</sup> Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
<sup>(4)</sup> Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
''Correspondence: [https://primate.uchicago.edu/dario-maestripieri.html Dario Maestripieri], dario@uchicago.edu''
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| Javier I. Borráz-León<sup>(1)</sup>, Coltan Scrivner<sup>(1,4)</sup>, Oliver C. Schultheiss<sup>(2)</sup>, Royce Lee<sup>(3)</sup>, Dario Maestripieri<sup>(1,4)</sup>
| Javier I. Borráz-León, Coltan Scrivner, Oliver C. Schultheiss, Royce Lee, Dario Maestripieri
|-
| '''DOI'''
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| [https://doi.org/10.62684/JAZJ6280 10.62684/JAZJ6280]
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| '''Keywords'''
| '''Keywords'''
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<b>Javier I. Borráz-León</b><sup>(a)</sup>, <b>Coltan Scrivner</b><sup>(a,d)</sup>, <b>Oliver C. Schultheiss</b><sup>(b)</sup>, <b>Royce Lee</b><sup>(c)</sup>, <b>[https://topitalianscientists.org/tis/2284/Dario_Maestripieri_-_Top_Italian_Scientist_in_Neurosciences_&_Psychology Dario Maestripieri]</b><sup>(a,d)</sup>


== Conflict of Interest ==
<sup>(a)</sup> Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


== Author Contributions ==
<sup>(b)</sup> Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
JIB-L: Data Analysis, Investigation, Writing - Review & Editing. CS: Data collection, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. OCS: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Data Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing. RL: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. DM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – Review & Editing.
 
<sup>(c)</sup> Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA


== Funding ==
<sup>(d)</sup> Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
The authors have no funding sources to report.


== Acknowledgments ==
''Correspondence: [https://primate.uchicago.edu/dario-maestripieri.html Dario Maestripieri], dario@uchicago.edu''
The authors are grateful to the late Scott O. Lilienfeld for helpful discussions of conceptual and methodological aspects of this research.


== Abstract ==
== Abstract ==
In romantic couples, there is usually an asymmetry in decisional power such that one partner is dominant and the other is subordinate. This study investigated the role of sex, ethnicity, self-assessed social status, personality traits, and power motivation (both explicit and implicit) as potential determinants or correlates of couple dominance in a mixed-sex sample of 50 college students. Through a previously validated questionnaire, participants indicated whether they were dominant or subordinate in their romantic relationship, or whether the latter was egalitarian. Major personality domains, narcissism, psychopathy, borderline, autistic-like traits, and explicit power were assessed through questionnaires. Participants also underwent a Picture Story Exercise to evaluate their implicit motives. Being dominant and having high explicit, but not implicit, power motivation were associated with some psychopathic, narcissistic, and/or borderline traits, while autistic-like traits were associated with being subordinate. Traits such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and honesty-humility had weak associations with couple dominance and/or explicit or implicit power motivation. Our findings have implications for the understanding of dominance dynamics within couples and the relationship between personality traits and power motivation.
In romantic couples, there is usually an asymmetry in decisional power such that one partner is dominant and the other is subordinate. This study investigated the role of sex, ethnicity, self-assessed social status, personality traits, and power motivation (both explicit and implicit) as potential determinants or correlates of couple dominance in a mixed-sex sample of 50 college students. Through a previously validated questionnaire, participants indicated whether they were dominant or subordinate in their romantic relationship, or whether the latter was egalitarian. Major personality domains, narcissism, psychopathy, borderline, autistic-like traits, and explicit power were assessed through questionnaires. Participants also underwent a Picture Story Exercise to evaluate their implicit motives. Being dominant and having high explicit, but not implicit, power motivation were associated with some psychopathic, narcissistic, and/or borderline traits, while autistic-like traits were associated with being subordinate. Traits such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and honesty-humility had weak associations with couple dominance and/or explicit or implicit power motivation. Our findings have implications for the understanding of dominance dynamics within couples and the relationship between personality traits and power motivation.


== Introduction ==
==Declarations==
===Acknowledgments===
The authors are grateful to the late Scott O. Lilienfeld for helpful discussions of conceptual and methodological aspects of this research.
 
===Conflict of Interest===
The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
 
===Funding===
The authors have no funding sources to report.
 
===Author Contributions===
JIB-L: Data Analysis, Investigation, Writing - Review & Editing. CS: Data collection, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. OCS: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Data Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing. RL: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. DM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – Review & Editing.
 
==References==
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<li>Bentley, C. G., Galliher, R. V., & Ferguson, T. J. (2007). Associations among aspects of interpersonal power and relationship functioning in adolescent romantic couples. Sex Roles, 57(7-8), 483-495. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9280-7</li>
<li>Dunbar, N. E., & Burgoon, J. K. (2005). Perceptions of power and interactional dominance in interpersonal relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22(2), 207-233. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407505050944</li>
<li>Felmlee, D. H. (1994). Who's on top? Power in romantic relationships. Sex Roles, 31(5), 275-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544589</li>
<li>Maestripieri, D., Klimczuk, A. C., Seneczko, M., Traficonte, D. M., & Wilson, M. C. (2013). Relationship status and relationship instability, but not dominance, predict individual differences in baseline cortisol levels. PLoS One, 8(12), e84003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084003</li>
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<li>Ashton, M. C., & Lee, K. (2009). The HEXACO–60: a short measure of the major dimensions of personality. Journal of Personality Assessment, 91, 340–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890902935878</li> 
<li>Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Skinner, R., Martin, J., & Clubley, E. (2001). The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(1), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005653411471</li>
<li>Jackson, K., M., & Trull, T. J. (2001). The factor structure of the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Features (PAI-BOR) Scale in a nonclinical sample. Journal of Personality Disorders, 15, 536-545. https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi.15.6.536.19187</li>
<li>Nikolova, N. (2009). Comprehensive assessment of psychopathic personality disorder-institutional rating scale (CAPP-IRS)–validation. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada.</li>
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</ol>


[[Category:Open Access]]
[[Category:Open Access]]
[[Category:Article]]
[[Category:Article]]
[[Category:Neurosciences & Psychology]]
[[Category:Neurosciences & Psychology]]

Latest revision as of 08:12, 23 March 2024

Published
January 5, 2024
Title
Couple dominance, dark personality traits, and power motivation
Authors
Javier I. Borráz-León, Coltan Scrivner, Oliver C. Schultheiss, Royce Lee, Dario Maestripieri
DOI
10.62684/JAZJ6280
Keywords
Couple dominance; explicit power; implicit power; psychopathy; borderline; narcissism; autistic-like trait
Downloads
Download PDF
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Javier I. Borráz-León(a), Coltan Scrivner(a,d), Oliver C. Schultheiss(b), Royce Lee(c), Dario Maestripieri(a,d)

(a) Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

(b) Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

(c) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

(d) Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Correspondence: Dario Maestripieri, dario@uchicago.edu

Abstract

In romantic couples, there is usually an asymmetry in decisional power such that one partner is dominant and the other is subordinate. This study investigated the role of sex, ethnicity, self-assessed social status, personality traits, and power motivation (both explicit and implicit) as potential determinants or correlates of couple dominance in a mixed-sex sample of 50 college students. Through a previously validated questionnaire, participants indicated whether they were dominant or subordinate in their romantic relationship, or whether the latter was egalitarian. Major personality domains, narcissism, psychopathy, borderline, autistic-like traits, and explicit power were assessed through questionnaires. Participants also underwent a Picture Story Exercise to evaluate their implicit motives. Being dominant and having high explicit, but not implicit, power motivation were associated with some psychopathic, narcissistic, and/or borderline traits, while autistic-like traits were associated with being subordinate. Traits such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and honesty-humility had weak associations with couple dominance and/or explicit or implicit power motivation. Our findings have implications for the understanding of dominance dynamics within couples and the relationship between personality traits and power motivation.

Declarations

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the late Scott O. Lilienfeld for helpful discussions of conceptual and methodological aspects of this research.

Conflict of Interest

The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

The authors have no funding sources to report.

Author Contributions

JIB-L: Data Analysis, Investigation, Writing - Review & Editing. CS: Data collection, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. OCS: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Data Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing. RL: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. DM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – Review & Editing.

References

  1. Maestripieri, D. (2012). Games Primates Play. An Undercover Investigation of the Evolution and Economics of Human Relationships. New York: Basic Books.
  2. Bentley, C. G., Galliher, R. V., & Ferguson, T. J. (2007). Associations among aspects of interpersonal power and relationship functioning in adolescent romantic couples. Sex Roles, 57(7-8), 483-495. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9280-7
  3. Dunbar, N. E., & Burgoon, J. K. (2005). Perceptions of power and interactional dominance in interpersonal relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22(2), 207-233. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407505050944
  4. Felmlee, D. H. (1994). Who's on top? Power in romantic relationships. Sex Roles, 31(5), 275-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544589
  5. Maestripieri, D., Klimczuk, A. C., Seneczko, M., Traficonte, D. M., & Wilson, M. C. (2013). Relationship status and relationship instability, but not dominance, predict individual differences in baseline cortisol levels. PLoS One, 8(12), e84003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084003
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