RESUMO
Background: The topic of dark personality traits and the emotional construct of schadenfreude have attained the spotlight over the last decade and gained popularity in terms of understanding their characteristics, behaviours and mindset. Sexual fantasies have also garnered relating interest, and a bridge between these constructs hypothetically began to take form. Methodology: In line with prior research and ideations, this study aimed to establish a meaningful and strong correlation between the constructs of the Dark Tetrad personality traits, schadenfreude and the types of sexual fantasies, while also finding significant predictors of sexual fantasies. It also attempts to add to the lack of literature on gender differentiations between such dark traits and fantasies and put an evolutionary outlook in the same. Results: The data was obtained from 124 young adults (Females = 64, Males = 60) using standardised measures of The Short Dark Triad Scale, The Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, The Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire, and 3 scenarios to assess Schadenfreude. Conclusion: The study provides a major insight into how dark personality traits, emotions and fantasies manifest in subclinical populations with accounted gender differentiation, and puts forth a case of the vastness and depth of the dark tetrad and schadenfreude, accounting for their influential roles in manifesting specific sexual fantasies.
RESUMO
Objetivou-se reunir evidências psicométricas da Comprehensive Assessment of Sadistic Tendencies (CAST) no Brasil. Os resultados da análise fatorial exploratória indicaram uma solução unifatorial, com adequada precisão, tendo itens com discriminação entre moderada e muito alta, cobrindo uma ampla faixa do traço latente. As correlações da CAST com a Tríade Sombria, amabilidade e conscienciosidade e com os fatores da escala de agressão são evidências de validade convergente, além do sadismo ter um incremento significativo na explicação do comportamento agressivo. Pensando no avanço dos estudos sobre a Tétrade Sombria, selecionaram-se os quatro itens mais informativos da CAST, acoplando-os aos 12 da Dirty Dozen, testados por meio de uma análise fatorial confirmatória, apresentaram indicadores de ajuste aceitáveis. No conjunto, os resultados reúnem evidências da adequação psicométrica da CAST, oferecendo uma versão curta e eficaz para avaliação da Tétrade Sombria. (AU)
The objective of the study was to collect psychometric evidence for the Comprehensive Assessment of Sadistic Tendencies (CAST) in Brazil. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis indicated a unifactorial solution with adequate reliability and moderate to high discrimination items, covering a wide range of the latent trait. Correlations of the CAST with the Dark Triad, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and with the factors of the aggression scale are evidence of convergent validity. Moreover, sadism significantly increases the explanation of aggressive behavior. Bearing in mind the development of studies on the Dark Tetrad, the four most informative items of the CAST combined with the 12 items of the Dirty Dozen were tested using a Confirmatory Factor Analysis and presented acceptable indexes of fit. Overall, the findings gather evidence of psychometric suitability of the CAST and provide a short and efficient tool to assess the Dark Tetrad. (AU)
Se buscó reunir evidencias psicométricas de la Comprehensive Assessment of Sadistic Tendencies (CAST) en Brasil. Los resultados del Análisis Factorial Exploratorio indicaron una solución unifactorial, con adecuada precisión, teniendo ítems con discriminación moderada y muy alta, cubriendo una amplia parte del rasgo latente. Las correlaciones de la CAST con la Tríada Oscura, amabilidad y concienciosidad y con los factores de la escala de agresión son evidencias de validez convergente, además del sadismo tener un incremento significativo en la explicación del comportamiento agresivo. Considerando el curso de los estudios sobre la Tétrada Oscura, se seleccionaron los cuatro ítems más informativos de la CAST, acoplándolos a los 12 de Dirty Dozen, evaluados por medio de un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio, presentaron indicadores de ajuste aceptables. En el conjunto, los resultados reúnen evidencias de la adecuación psicométrica de la CAST, ofreciendo una versión corta y eficaz para la evaluación de la Tétrada Oscura. (AU)