People with aggressive personality traits often engage in digital abuse toward romantic partners, and specific behaviors vary based on the person’s gender and psychological profile. This digital abuse can range from constantly checking your partner’s location to threatening to post their private photos online. Recent research published in journals deviant behavior We outline how four malicious personality traits predict the precise types of online abuse an individual is likely to commit.
Intimate partner violence is recognized as a health problem around the world. Historically, research has focused on interpersonal physical or psychological abuse. The rise of modern technology has created new means of harassment.
Digital platforms allow perpetrators to control their partners from a distance. This phenomenon is known as intimate partner cyber violence. It blurs the lines between physical reality and online environments.
Digital abuse may actually be more common than traditional forms of relationship violence. Some estimates suggest that the majority of adults have experienced at least one form of digital harassment. The most common actions include controlling or monitoring a partner’s online activity.
The research team was led by Bojana M. Dinic, a professor of psychology at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. Dinic and her colleagues Danica Radosavljevic and Kristi Tetrault wanted to understand the psychological factors behind this modern form of abuse. They focused on a particular cluster of antisocial traits known as the dark tetrad.
The Dark Tetrad consists of four distinct personality traits that are associated with harmful interpersonal behaviors. The first characteristic is Machiavellianism, named after the political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. People with this trait are very cynical and manipulate others for personal gain.
The second trait is narcissism. This involves extreme self-involvement and a desire for admiration. Researchers have divided this concept into two dimensions. One dimension includes a positive desire to be praised, and the other dimension includes a hostile desire to see others fail.
The third trait is psychopathy, a condition defined by an extreme lack of empathy and remorse. The research team divided these characteristics into primary and secondary categories. The first form is callous and calculating, while the second form is very impulsive and unstable.
Sadism is the fourth trait that completes the dark personality profile. People with high levels of sadism find excitement in inflicting pain on others. They actively enjoy causing mental or physical pain.
Dinich and her team found that previous research often treated these personality traits as one broad category. They also found that digital abuse is typically assessed as a single concept. By separating personality traits and abusive behaviors into distinct categories, the team hoped to uncover hidden patterns.
Researchers recruited 293 heterosexual adults in Serbia to participate in the study. Participants were asked about their romantic history and their own aggressive behavior. They filled out a detailed survey measuring their personality traits and history of involvement in digital abuse.
The digital abuse survey asked about several different categories of controlling behavior. One category included the use of spy cameras and location-tracking software. Another category focused on excessive phone calls and text messages to your partner.
The third category asked about making direct threats through digital messages. The final category featured actions such as logging into a partner’s email account or checking their call history. Participants rated how often they had done these things with current or former partners.
Research data reveals a clear link between poor impulse control and some forms of abuse. Secondary psychosis predicted excessive communication and constant checking of the partner’s online accounts. These behaviors are generally reactive and occur when a person acts without thinking.
Primary psychopathy predicted a completely different set of abusive behaviors. This ruthless and calculating personality was associated with the use of tracking devices and posting embarrassing photos of their partners. These actions require planning and constitute a serious violation of a partner’s privacy.
The two subtypes of narcissism have also led to various forms of digital abuse. Narcissistic competitiveness was associated with secretly checking one’s partner’s messages and call history. Researchers believe that people who view life as a competition are more likely to treat romantic partners like property.
Narcissistic admiration predicted the use of direct threats via text and email. People with this trait have a grandiose view of themselves and expect constant praise. They may use threats as a strategy to establish dominance and maintain power in relationships.
Machiavellianism was the only trait that did not strongly predict most forms of digital abuse. People with this manipulative trait are very strategic and avoid actions that can backfire. Because digital abuse leaves a permanent electronic record, these individuals may avoid it to protect their reputations.
The researchers also found that men and women prefer different methods of digital abuse. Men were more likely to use technology to monitor their partners, using hidden cameras and tracking software. Women were more likely to engage in secretive behaviors, such as checking their partner’s phone history.
The effects of dark personality traits also vary depending on a person’s gender. For men, sadism was associated with using tracking devices and threatening partners with private photos. For women, sadism involved secretly checking their partner’s digital accounts.
Narcissistic competitiveness was associated with direct threats, but only among the women in the study. In contrast, Machiavellianism was primarily associated with intimidation among men. Researchers suggest that societal expectations may explain these different patterns of abuse.
Traditional gender roles often expect women to foster and maintain stability in relationships. This expectation may lead some women to monitor their partners to protect the relationship from perceived threats. On the other hand, in traditional roles, men are often cast as the dominant partner.
This expectation of male superiority can lead to the use of highly invasive tracking techniques. Additionally, society often judges women more harshly regarding their sexuality. This may be why sadistic men take particular pleasure in threatening to post private photos of their female partners.
The research team noticed some limitations with their method. Data relied entirely on self-report surveys. Participants may have been reluctant to admit the full extent of their abusive behavior, and the actual rate of abuse may be even higher.
Results were not statistically significant across all demographic categories. Furthermore, the sample consisted only of heterosexual adults living in Serbia. Patterns of digital abuse may look different in other cultures and same-sex relationships.
The researchers recommended that future studies collect data from both partners in the relationship. They also suggested investigating how internet addiction contributes to digital abuse. It may also become clearer by investigating a person’s ability to regulate their emotions.
These insights could help mental health professionals design better intervention programs. Therapists can teach individuals to manage specific impulses associated with dark personality traits. Educational campaigns could also help people recognize these harmful traits in potential partners before abuse occurs.
On a larger scale, society needs better laws to protect victims of digital abuse. In many jurisdictions, the unauthorized sharing of intimate photos is not classified as a crime. Technology companies must also design their platforms to prioritize user safety and privacy.
The study, “The Relationship between Intimate Partner Cyberviolence and Dark Tetrad Traits: The Moderating Effect of Gender,” was authored by Bojana M. Dinic, Danica Radosavljevic, and Kristi Tetreault.
