Open AccessThe Dark Core of personality: Individual’s expression of locus of control and spirituality
Author(s) -
Bruno Bonfá-Araujo,
Ariela Raissa Lima Costa,
Leila Maria Ferreira Couto,
Makilim Nunes Baptista,
Nelson Hauck Filho
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
primenjena psihologija
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.184
H-Index - 3
eISSN - 2334-7287
pISSN - 1821-0147
DOI - 10.19090/pp.2021.4.465-481
Subject(s) - psychology , personality , locus of control , distress , spirituality , clinical psychology , core self evaluations , coping (psychology) , social psychology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , job design , job performance , job satisfaction
Dark personality traits are amongst the most popular research topics recently. In 2018 the Dark Core of personality was proposed as a common core to capture all aversive subclinical manifestations. In this study, we aimed at investigating how individuals with high scores on the Dark Core perceive control (i.e., internally or externally) and express their spirituality. Participants were 614 adults, mostly females (85.17%), aged from 18 to 73 years-old (M = 36.00; SD = 12.26), and identified themselves as agnostics (22.63%) or Catholics (19.05%). Participants responded to a measure that assessed the Dark Core of personality (D35), the Locus of Control Scale (ELOCUS), and the WHOQOL-spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB). We used a path analysis model to estimate their connection. Results indicated that the Dark Core better predicts external locus of control, which respectively predicts connect, strength, and faith, which can be considered as spiritual coping strategies. We concluded that men and women tend to blame external forces when things do not go their way and use personal beliefs to relieve emotional distress.