UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones May 2016 The Effects of Psychopathic Traits on Social Support Networks Stephanie Marie Molina University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Repository Citation Molina, Stephanie Marie, "The Effects of Psychopathic Traits on Social Support Networks" (2016). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 2711. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/9112148 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EFFECTS OF PSYCHOPATHIC TRAITS ON SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS By Stephanie Marie Molina Bachelor of Science in Psychology Tulane University 2011 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts - Psychology Psychology Department College of Liberal Arts The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 2016 Thesis Approval The Graduate College The University of Nevada, Las Vegas November 16, 2015 This thesis prepared by Stephanie Marie Molina entitled The Effects of Psychopathic Traits on Social Support Networks is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts - Psychology Psychology Department Stephen Benning, Ph.D. Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D. Examination Committee Chair Graduate College Interim Dean Jason Holland, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Rachael Robnett, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Peter Gray, Ph.D. Graduate College Faculty Representative ii ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Abstract Psychopathy is a personality disorder with distinctive behavioral, emotional and interpersonal features. The dual process model of psychopathy conceptualizes the construct via two distinct factors: fearless dominance (FD) and impulsive antisociality (IA). While individuals higher in psychopathic traits are less likely to cooperate with others, research examining the impact of psychopathy on individuals’ social networks is lacking. In the current study, 377 first year undergraduate students completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Ten Item Personality Inventory, and ratings regarding their social networks via Qualtrics. Students were asked to list up to ten friends and rate their relationship via a newly developed measure, which factor analyses revealed as having a one-factor solution capturing overall friendship quality. We found that FD was positively related to friendship quality, and the interaction of FD and IA (psychopathy) was negatively related with the proportion of contactability of friends. In addition, friends were recruited and provided friendship and adjective ratings regarding their relationship and view of the participant who referred them. In general, individuals higher in IA were rated more negatively (e.g., annoying, unfriendly). IA also moderated the relationships between FD and adjectival ratings such that those high in FD and IA were rated as more annoying, aggressive, and psychopathic as well as less friendly and enjoyable. Homophily analyses showed that only matching on the same major impacted friendship quality. Lastly, both agreeableness and neuroticism mediated the relationship between IA and friendship quality. This study provides novel information of how individuals view their own social networks and how this relates to psychopathy. ! ! iii ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 1 Capturing Psychopathy ............................................................................................................... 1 Psychopathy and Interpersonal Relationships ............................................................................ 4 Social Networks .......................................................................................................................... 6 Quality of Social Relationships and Social Support ................................................................... 7 Chapter 2: Current Study .............................................................................................................. 11 Hypotheses ................................................................................................................................ 11 Chapter 3: Method ........................................................................................................................ 13 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 13 Measures ................................................................................................................................... 14 Procedures ................................................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 4: Data Analyses .............................................................................................................. 19 Factor Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 19 Correlations ............................................................................................................................... 19 Regressions ............................................................................................................................... 20 Mediational Analyses ................................................................................................................ 21 Chapter 5: Results ......................................................................................................................... 22 Factor and Item Response Theory Analyses ............................................................................. 22 Correlations ............................................................................................................................... 22 Friend Ratings ........................................................................................................................... 23 Homophily Analyses ................................................................................................................. 25 Mediational Analyses ................................................................................................................ 27 Chapter 6: Discussion ................................................................................................................... 29 Psychopathy and FFM .............................................................................................................. 29 Psychopathy and Friendship Quality ........................................................................................ 30 Psychopathy and Other Social Network Variables ................................................................... 31 Friends’ Perceptions .................................................................................................................. 33 Homophily ................................................................................................................................ 35 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 35 Future Directions ...................................................................................................................... 37 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 50 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................... 57 References ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Curriculum Vitae .......................................................................................................................... 66 ! iv ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! List of Tables Table 1 .......................................................................................................................................... 40! Table 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 41! Table 3 .......................................................................................................................................... 42! Table 4 .........................................................................................................................................