Fake Good in the Dark Tetrad: Score Changes and Relationships With Impression Management and Supernormality

In this research we explored the relationship between Dark Tetrad traits and faking good behaviour by analysing (1) changes in Dark Tetrad scores under honest and fake good conditions and (2) their relationships with fake good tendencies (impression management and supernormality) considering also the changes in scores on fake good measures across two conditions. Our within-subject design with honest and fake good conditions included 104 community participants from Serbia. Participants (N = 104) completed the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4), Bidimensional Impression Management Index (BIMI), and Supernormality Scale (SS) under honest and fake good (job selection simulation) instructions in a randomised order. Scores on narcissism, BIMI, and SS significantly increased under fake good conditions, whereas psychopathy and sadism scores decreased, and Machiavellianism score remained stable. Honestly reported Machiavellianism significantly predicted changes in impression management under two conditions. Unexpectedly, higher Machiavellianism was associated with a lower impression management scores under faking condition compared to the honest condition. Furthermore, under honest condition, impression management was positively associated with narcissism and Machiavellianism, and negatively with psychopathy and sadism. Correlations between supernormality and dark traits were not significant. Finally, the results support the construct validity of the Serbian adaptation of the Supernormality Scale.