New Research Links Machiavellian Personality Traits To Emotional Distance In Relationships

People with highly manipulative personality traits tend to expect less emotional closeness in romantic relationships, according to new research. The study also found that older women with strong Machiavellian traits reported the lowest intimacy expectations among all groups analyzed.

The findings, published in Personality and Individual Differences, suggest that attachment style and romantic beliefs influence intimacy expectations more strongly than dark personality traits alone. However, manipulative tendencies still appear to meaningfully reduce expectations for deep emotional connection.

Why Intimacy Expectations Matter

Psychologists consider intimacy an important component of mental health because it helps protect against stress and loneliness. Individuals who expect emotional support and mutual trust from a partner are generally more likely to experience satisfying and resilient relationships.

Intimacy expectations refer to what people believe they can realistically share with a romantic partner, including personal fears, vulnerabilities, and long-term goals. Individuals with high intimacy expectations typically seek emotional openness and mutual trust, whereas those with lower expectations tend to prefer emotional distance and guardedness.

The Dark Triad and Romantic Relationships

The so-called Dark Triad consists of three antagonistic personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.

Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity and a strong need for admiration, while psychopathy is associated with impulsivity, emotional coldness, and reduced empathy.

Machiavellianism refers to a calculating and manipulative interpersonal style shaped by a cynical view of human relationships. Previous research has linked Dark Triad traits to infidelity, lower relationship commitment, and viewing romantic relationships more as competitive exchanges than mutual emotional bonds.

Attachment Styles and Romantic Beliefs

In addition to personality traits, attachment theory explains how early caregiving experiences shape expectations of emotional closeness in adulthood.

Securely attached individuals are generally comfortable with intimacy and trusting relationships, whereas insecure attachment styles may complicate emotional connection.

Avoidant attachment is associated with discomfort regarding dependence on others and a tendency to minimize the importance of closeness. Anxious attachment is characterized by fear of abandonment and heightened sensitivity to rejection, often resulting in clinginess and excessive worry.

Romantic beliefs also influence intimacy expectations. Some individuals strongly endorse ideas such as soulmates or idealized true love, which may increase expectations for emotional depth and mutual understanding within relationships.

How the Study Was Conducted

Researchers Silvija Ručević and Josipa Antunović from Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek in Croatia surveyed 900 adults aged 18–74 who were currently in romantic relationships. The sample consisted primarily of heterosexual participants and included both married and dating couples.

Participants completed questionnaires assessing Dark Triad traits, attachment avoidance and anxiety, romantic beliefs, and intimacy expectations. Statements such as “I tend to manipulate others” were used to assess Machiavellian tendencies.

The researchers applied hierarchical regression analysis, a stepwise statistical method designed to determine how much each factor uniquely contributed to intimacy expectations. Age and gender were analyzed first, followed by personality traits, and then attachment patterns and romantic beliefs.

Key Findings on Intimacy Expectations

The strongest predictors of intimacy expectations were not Dark Triad traits themselves, but broader relational patterns.

Higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with lower expectations for emotional closeness, while stronger idealized romantic beliefs predicted higher intimacy expectations.

Among the Dark Triad traits, Machiavellianism emerged as the strongest predictor of lower intimacy expectations. Individuals who viewed relationships as strategic exchanges were substantially less likely to expect mutual trust and emotional openness from partners.

Narcissism showed a more complex pattern. When examined independently, narcissism demonstrated a small negative association with intimacy expectations. However, after controlling for Machiavellianism, narcissism weakly predicted higher intimacy expectations, a statistical phenomenon known as suppression.

The researchers suggest that narcissistic individuals may still seek emotional closeness because of their strong need for admiration and validation, even if this desire is primarily self-focused. Emotional access to partners may therefore serve to reinforce self-esteem rather than mutual emotional connection.

Psychopathy, despite being associated with emotional coldness and risk-taking behavior, did not independently predict intimacy expectations once other relational and personality factors were considered.

Age, Gender, and Manipulative Traits

The researchers also examined whether age and gender modified these relationships.

The negative association between Machiavellianism and intimacy expectations was strongest among older women. Older women with elevated Machiavellian traits reported the lowest intimacy expectations of any demographic group included in the study.

In contrast, younger women and men across age groups showed a more stable pattern, with manipulative traits predicting somewhat lower intimacy expectations but without strong age-related differences.

The authors propose that women with stronger Machiavellian tendencies may become increasingly guarded and pragmatic over time, especially after repeated relationships with similarly antagonistic partners. This may reinforce a more strategic and emotionally distant approach to romantic relationships.

Narcissism and psychopathy did not demonstrate similar age- or gender-related effects, showing relatively stable and limited associations with intimacy expectations across demographic groups.

Limitations and Clinical Implications

The researchers acknowledged several limitations. Because the study relied on self-report questionnaires, social desirability bias may have influenced responses, particularly regarding manipulative or socially undesirable traits.

In addition, the cross-sectional design only captured participants at a single point in time, preventing firm conclusions about causality.

Because participants came from the general population, overall levels of Dark Triad traits were relatively low, and the observed statistical effects were modest. The findings therefore suggest that intimacy expectations arise from a complex interaction of personality, attachment history, culture, and relationship experiences.

Nevertheless, the results may provide useful insights for clinicians working with couples and individuals. Understanding whether someone views relationships primarily as emotional partnerships or strategic exchanges may help therapists better address beliefs about trust and emotional closeness.

The authors suggest that interventions aimed at improving romantic functioning may need to focus not only on relationship behaviors but also on underlying cognitive models of intimacy. Future longitudinal and cross-cultural studies may help clarify how these beliefs develop over time and vary across societies.

Article prepared by Alex Morgan.