Article Version of Record

Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in General Interpersonal Relationships and Close Relationships

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Ináncsi, Tamás
Láng, András
Bereczkei, Tamás

Abstract / Description

Up to the present, the relationship between Machiavellianism and adult attachment has remained a question to be answered in the psychological literature. That is why this study focused on the relationship between Machiavellianism and attachment towards significant others in general interpersonal relationships and in intimate-close relationships. Two attachment tests (Relationship Questionnaire and long-form of Experiences in Close Relationship) and the Mach-IV test were conducted on a sample consisting of 185 subjects. Results have revealed that Machiavellian subjects show a dismissing-avoidant attachment style in their general interpersonal relationships, while avoidance is further accompanied by some characteristics of attachment anxiety in their intimate-close relationships. Our findings further refine the relationship between Machiavellianism and dismissing-avoidant attachment. Machiavellian individuals not only have a negative representation of significant others, but they also tend to seek symbiotic closeness in order to exploit their partners. This ambitendency in distance regulation might be particularly important in understanding the vulnerability of Machiavellian individuals.

Keyword(s)

Machiavellianism dismissing-avoidant attachment style attachment-related avoidance and anxiety general interpersonal relationships and close relationships

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2015-02-27

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

11

Issue

1

Page numbers

139–154

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Ináncsi, T., Láng, A., & Bereczkei, T. (2015). Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in General Interpersonal Relationships and Close Relationships. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(1), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i1.801
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Ináncsi, Tamás
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Láng, András
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Bereczkei, Tamás
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T09:59:18Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T09:59:18Z
  • Date of first publication
    2015-02-27
  • Abstract / Description
    Up to the present, the relationship between Machiavellianism and adult attachment has remained a question to be answered in the psychological literature. That is why this study focused on the relationship between Machiavellianism and attachment towards significant others in general interpersonal relationships and in intimate-close relationships. Two attachment tests (Relationship Questionnaire and long-form of Experiences in Close Relationship) and the Mach-IV test were conducted on a sample consisting of 185 subjects. Results have revealed that Machiavellian subjects show a dismissing-avoidant attachment style in their general interpersonal relationships, while avoidance is further accompanied by some characteristics of attachment anxiety in their intimate-close relationships. Our findings further refine the relationship between Machiavellianism and dismissing-avoidant attachment. Machiavellian individuals not only have a negative representation of significant others, but they also tend to seek symbiotic closeness in order to exploit their partners. This ambitendency in distance regulation might be particularly important in understanding the vulnerability of Machiavellian individuals.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Ináncsi, T., Láng, A., & Bereczkei, T. (2015). Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in General Interpersonal Relationships and Close Relationships. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(1), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i1.801
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/929
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1121
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i1.801
  • Keyword(s)
    Machiavellianism
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    dismissing-avoidant attachment style
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    attachment-related avoidance and anxiety
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    general interpersonal relationships and close relationships
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Machiavellianism and Adult Attachment in General Interpersonal Relationships and Close Relationships
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    139–154
  • Volume
    11
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record