The Happy Subclinical Psychopath: The Protective Role of Boldness in Successful Psychopathy

Drawing from models of successful psychopathy, self-determination theory, and personality theory, we investigated how the facets of the triarchic model of psychopathy are related to subjective well-being. We hypothesized that boldness was positively while meanness and disinhibition were negatively related to subjective well-being. We further hypothesized boldness as a protective factor that tempers negative effects of meanness. Participants, enrolled in part-time university courses for working adults in Singapore, provided self-ratings on the psychopathy facets (at Time 1) and on their job satisfaction, life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect (at Time 2). Hierarchical moderated regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings generally supported the hypotheses, demonstrating the differential contribution of the psychopathy facets to subjective well-being and highlighting the role of boldness as a protective factor in successful psychopathy. Practical implications for counselors and organizational decision makers are discussed.