Influência das áreas de formação acadêmica nos traços da Dark Tetrad dos discentes da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of academic field of study on the personality traits of the Dark Tetrad in students at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in research on how the traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism manifest in organizational contexts. These four personality traits have been grouped together to form the Dark Tetrad. Using a quantitative and descriptive approach, through the application of a questionnaire, the research aims to investigate the presence and influence of the personality traits that make up the Dark Tetrad in 378 university students at UFRN, covering various academic fields. The results of the study reveal Machiavellianism as a predominant trait, associated with strategic and discreet behaviors, while narcissism manifests as an inflated self-image. On the other hand, psychopathy and sadism are largely rejected, indicating higher emotional maturity and social conformity. Machiavellianism showed an average score of 3.46 in the general sample and 3.58 among students of Accounting, suggesting more manipulative and competitive behaviors typical of highly competitive academic areas. Narcissism had an average score of 2.73 in the general sample and 2.77 among students of Accounting, indicating its presence but to a lesser extent than Machiavellianism, with more focus on the ability to influence others than on self-image. Psychopathy showed an average of 1.94 in the general sample and 1.85 among Accounting students, reflecting a low prevalence of this unethical trait among the students. Sadism, with average scores of 2.30 in the general sample and 2.18 among Accounting students, also showed a low prevalence, reinforcing the idea that sadism is not a prominent trait in academic environments. These results suggest that traits such as Machiavellianism and narcissism are more common in competitive academic fields, while psychopathy and sadism are less prevalent, highlighting the need for educational strategies that foster a more ethical and collaborative environment. These traits vary according to gender, age, and academic fields, with more competitive courses such as Accounting favoring manipulative characteristics, while fields like Linguistics and Health Sciences prioritize ethical and collaborative interactions. The relevance of this study lies in the importance of the Dark Tetrad for identifying psychobehavioral characteristics in decision-making processes, both in academic and professional settings, significantly contributing to national and international literature by exploring the influence of academic fields of study on the personality traits of this dark triad.