Psychopathy and COVID-19: Triarchic model traits as predictors of disease-risk perceptions and emotional well-being during a global pandemic. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sica, Claudio; Perkins, Emily R.; Latzman, Robert D.; Caudek, Corrado; Colpizzi, Ilaria; Bottesi, Gioia; Caruso, Maria; Giulini, Paolo; Cerea, Silvia; Patrick, Christopher J.
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 176(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Psychopathy -- Biobehavioral traits -- Disease perceptions -- Stress; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110770
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: This study extended recent research showing that perceptions of disease risk are associated with emotional well-being during COVID-19 by examining how psychopathic traits of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition influence these perceptions and psychological outcomes. During the Italian national lockdown, a large community sample ( M age = 31.3 years) completed online questionnaire measures of the triarchic psychopathic traits, perceptions of disease susceptibility and danger, and recent well-being. Path analyses revealed differing roles for the triarchic traits: boldness and meanness predicted greater well-being (lower stress, higher positive affect) and disinhibition predicted lower well-being. Further, boldness and meanness were linked to well-being through distinct indirect pathways of low perceived susceptibility to infection (boldness) and low perceived dangerousness of COVID-19 (boldness and meanness). Findings speak to the triarchic model's utility in explaining socioemotional phenomena during times of crisis and support the distinct biobehavioral conceptualizations of boldness as low threat sensitivity, meanness as low affiliative capacity, and disinhibition as deficient affective and behavioral control. Highlights: Psychopathic traits related to risk perceptions and well-being during COVID-19. Boldness predicted well-being via low perceived susceptibility and dangerousness. Meanness predicted well-being via low perceived dangerousness. Disinhibition directly predicted poorer well-being. Findings speak to the relevance of triarchic traits to well-being during a crisis.