Too many shades of gray: The Dark Triad and its linkage to coercive and coaxing tactics to obtain sex and the quality of romantic relationships

Abstract The studies examine the links between the Dark Triad, strategies to obtain sex, and relationship outcomes. Based on study 1 (N = 589), we found a general tendency of the Dark Triad to approve and use coaxing, and especially coercion, as means to obtain sex. Specifically, narcissism was equally related to the approval of coaxing and coercion, but with a higher likelihood to use coercion. Machiavellianism and psychopathy (stronger tendency) were linked to higher approval and likelihood of using coercion. The same pattern was confirmed in study 2 (N = 542, N = 271 of heterosexual couples), in which we also measured the Dark Triad's linkage to the quality of the relationship at the individual level (actor effect) and across couples (partner effect). The results indicated gender differences, showing that the Dark Triad in men was more likely to be connected to the approval of coercion, while the Dark Triad in women was related to both techniques. All Dark Triad traits were related to the measures of quality of the relationship in various configurations on the individual and the couple levels. For example, higher psychopathy in men negatively affected investments, satisfaction and commitment placed in the relationship by their female partners, but this mechanism did not work in the opposite way.