Exploring the role of the dark tetrad and self-efficacy in emotional manipulation

Emotional manipulation is the use of high-level emotional skills to manipulate others for self-serving reasons. This study examined individuals' belief in their emotional manipulation skills (trait emotional manipulation) and the frequency with which they engaged in emotional manipulation (willingness to emotionally manipulate). The influence of emotional intelligence, primary psychopathy, secondary psychopathy, Machiavellianism, grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, sadism, general self-efficacy, and social self-efficacy on trait emotional manipulation and willingness to emotionally manipulate was examined for the first time. Participants comprised 245 women and 136 men who completed an anonymous online questionnaire within a cross-sectional correlational design. Results from regression analyses indicated that males' belief about and use of emotional manipulation skills was predicted by antisocial traits such as psychopathy, whereas females' belief about and use of emotional manipulation skills was predicted by manipulative, power-seeking traits such as narcissism. Limitations from the current study include the use of self-report measures and cross-sectional design. The findings from this study show the differential mechanisms through which emotional manipulation occurs between genders, and the discrepancy between the mechanisms that predict those that believe they can emotionally manipulate others, compared to those who actually do. The variables identified as predictors in this study may be targeted when developing interventions for these individuals.