Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Patrick T. Slowinski

Keywords

Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, dark triad, career clusters

Disciplines

Accounting | Psychology

Abstract

Growing opportunities in information technology, digital accounting, and remote leadership have increased interest in the personality traits associated with these emerging work environments. The researcher examined the relationship between psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism, collectively referred to as Dark Triad personality traits, and career preferences. Specifically, the researcher tested whether higher levels of these traits predicted interest in careers characterized by prestige, power, autonomy, and opportunities for manipulation. Working professionals and college students completed the Short Dark Triad (SD3) and a career preference questionnaire. The researcher used binary logistic regression to assess whether Dark Triad traits predicted career cluster selection. Model fit indices indicated a weak fit and limited explanatory power. Narcissism emerged as the strongest predictor, approaching significance for People-Oriented careers and demonstrating a significant negative relationship with Hands-On/Creative preferences. Machiavellianism and psychopathy did not significantly predict career preferences. Overall, the findings indicate that Dark Triad traits exert minimal influence over career choice. This study contributes to the literature on personality and vocational behavior and offers implications for organizational hiring practices, ethics training, and workforce development.

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