University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Division
The Dark Triad and Digital Politics: Personality, Behavior, and Parasocial Bonds in the U.S 2024 Election
Presenter Hometown
Cynthiana
Major
Psychology
Department
Psychology
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Cassie Whitt
Mentor Department
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Rion, Rachel M., "The Dark Triad and Digital Politics: Personality, Behavior, and Parasocial Bonds in the U.S 2024 Election" (2025). University Presentation Showcase Event. 45.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2025/undergraduate/45
Abstract
In a time when online interactions are so ubiquitous and frequent, understanding the dynamics between individuals engaging in online discourse, through their personality traits and parasocial relationships, has become increasingly important. While research has been conducted on these constructs separately, little is known about how they interact. This study aims to determine the effects of Dark Triad personality traits (psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism) on online behaviors and parasocial relationships with U.S presidential candidates in the 2024 election. With an expected total of 425 participants, the sample will be recruited from the undergraduate participant pool at Eastern Kentucky University and Prolific. All participants will complete questionnaires about perceived severity of abuse and victim blaming, political parasocial relationships, Dark Triad traits, self-control, and political extremism. It is hypothesized that individuals scoring high in Dark Triad traits, who regularly engage in politics, will demonstrate more political extremism and resulting parasocial relationships. It is also predicted that psychopathy and machiavellianism will be more predictive of engaging in negative online behaviors, and that self-control will moderate the associations between Dark Triad traits and negative online behaviors.
Presentation format
Poster
The Dark Triad and Digital Politics: Personality, Behavior, and Parasocial Bonds in the U.S 2024 Election
In a time when online interactions are so ubiquitous and frequent, understanding the dynamics between individuals engaging in online discourse, through their personality traits and parasocial relationships, has become increasingly important. While research has been conducted on these constructs separately, little is known about how they interact. This study aims to determine the effects of Dark Triad personality traits (psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism) on online behaviors and parasocial relationships with U.S presidential candidates in the 2024 election. With an expected total of 425 participants, the sample will be recruited from the undergraduate participant pool at Eastern Kentucky University and Prolific. All participants will complete questionnaires about perceived severity of abuse and victim blaming, political parasocial relationships, Dark Triad traits, self-control, and political extremism. It is hypothesized that individuals scoring high in Dark Triad traits, who regularly engage in politics, will demonstrate more political extremism and resulting parasocial relationships. It is also predicted that psychopathy and machiavellianism will be more predictive of engaging in negative online behaviors, and that self-control will moderate the associations between Dark Triad traits and negative online behaviors.
