This study investigates the relationship between Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy) and prosocial and antisocial behaviors within the sports context. Data were collected online from 667 athletes aged between 15 and 44 and analyzed using the structural equation modeling approach (PLS-SEM). The Dark Triad Scale was employed to assess personality characteristics, while the Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior in Sport Scale (PABSS) measured behavioral tendencies. Reliability, validity, discriminant validity, and multicollinearity analyses confirmed the adequacy of the measurement model. A structural model was developed to explore the interplay between the Dark Triad traits and prosocial and antisocial behaviors, and its theoretical validity was largely supported. Out of eight proposed hypotheses, six were accepted, indicating a strong overall model fit. Findings revealed that psychopathy and Machiavellianism were positively associated with antisocial behavior. Psychopathy fostered antisocial tendencies while decreasing prosocial engagement. Conversely, Machiavellianism unexpectedly exhibited a positive correlation with prosocial behavior, suggesting that Machiavellian individuals might act prosocially for social approval or personal gain. In contrast, psychopathy was found to enhance antisocial behaviors and suppress prosocial ones due to diminished empathy and a tendency toward aggression. These results indicate that dark personality traits are not exclusively detrimental; rather, their behavioral expressions in sport may vary depending on individual motivations and contextual factors. Overall, this study contributes to the growing literature on personality dynamics in sport psychology by elucidating the complex interactions of dark personality dimensions with moral and social conduct in athletic settings.
Sağ et al. (Mon,) studied this question.