University Presentation Showcase: Graduate Division
The Dark Triad and Digital Politics: Personality, Behavior, and Parasocial Bonds in the U.S 2024 Election
Presenter Hometown
Cynthiana
Major
Experimental Psychology
Department
Psychology
Degree
Graduate
Mentor
Dr. 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" (2026). University Presentation Showcase Event. 8.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2026/graduate/8
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 aimed 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 a total of 67 participants, the sample was recruited from the undergraduate participant pool at Eastern Kentucky University. All participants completed questionnaires about perceived victim blaming, political parasocial relationships, Dark Triad traits, self-control, and political extremism. It was 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 aimed 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 a total of 67 participants, the sample was recruited from the undergraduate participant pool at Eastern Kentucky University. All participants completed questionnaires about perceived victim blaming, political parasocial relationships, Dark Triad traits, self-control, and political extremism. It was 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.
