Method
Participants
The sample for this study was drawn from a slightly larger sample in which some cases were excluded because they were representative of small and potentially identifiable categories. [Things to include here: the final overall sample size, gender distribution (raw number and percentage), age range, age mean and standard deviation. Distribution of students and community members (raw numbers and percentage)].
Materials
Age
Participants were asked to enter their age in whole years.
Gender
Participants were asked ‘What is your gender?” with response options being “Male”, “Female”, “Transgender”, “Prefer not to say” and “Other”. Only Males and Females responded in sufficient numbers to be included in the current study, therefore making this a dichotomous variable.
Light Triad
Participants completed the 12-item Light Triad Scale (LTS; Kaufman, Yaden, Hyde, & Tsukayama, 2019). The LTS purports to measure three factors referred to as Kantianism, Humanism, and Faith in Humanity. Each factor consists of four items scored on a 5-point agreement scale (i.e. 1= Strongly disagree; 5= Strongly agree) and summed for each sub-scale. Example items for each factor include “I prefer honesty over charm”, “I tend to admire others”, and “I tend to see the best in people”. As such, higher values represent higher levels of the factor. The observed internal consistency coefficients for the three 4-item factors are α = 0.82, α = 0.79, and α = 0.72, respectively. The observed internal consistency coefficient for the total scale is α = 0.84.
Dark Triad
Participants completed the 27-item Short Dark Triad scale (SD3; Jones, & Paulhus, 2014). The SD3 purports to measure three factors referred to as Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Narcissism. Each factor consists of nine items scores on a 5-point agreement scale (i.e. 1= Strongly disagree; 5= Strongly agree) and summed for each sub-scale. Example items for each factor include “It’s wise not to tell your secrets”, “People see me as a natural leader”, and “I have never got in trouble with the law (reverse coded)”. Higher values represent higher levels of each factor. The observed internal consistency coefficients for the three nine-item factors are α = 0.73, α = 0.76, and α = 0.78, respectively.
Psychological Distress
The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1993) consists of 21 negative emotional symptoms, purported to measure depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants rate the extent to which they have experienced each symptom over the past week, on a 4-point severity/frequency scale. Scores for the individual subscales are determined by summing the scores for the relevant seven items, and an overall measure of psychological distress is determined by summing the values of each individual item. Example items include “I found it hard to wind down”, “I was aware of dryness of my mouth”, and “I couldn’t seem to experience any positive feeling at all”. The observed internal consistency coefficients for the three seven-item factors are α = 0.91, α = 0.84, and α = 0.90, respectively.
Procedure
Participants were undergraduate Deakin psychology students, and their family and friends who were invited to participate via word of mouth or social media advertisements. Participants who consented to take part in the study were provided a link to the questionnaire, which was hosted on an online survey platform (Qualtrics). Data collection began on March 1st, 2021 and completed on July 1st, 2021. Only data collected between March 1st and 26th (O-week to the end of Week 3), 2021 is included in the current study.
References to be added to your reference list (not to be included in your Method).
Kaufman, S. B., Yaden, D. B., Hyde, E., & Tsukayama, E. (2019). The light vs. dark triad of personality: Contrasting two very different profiles of human nature. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 467.
Jones, D. N., & Paulhus, D. L. (2014). Introducing the short dark triad (SD3) a brief measure of dark personality traits. Assessment, 21(1), 28-41.
Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour research and therapy, 33(3), 335-343.