Abstract Two studies depileve easy clean examined the amplitude of the startle response as a function of the Dark Tetrad of personality (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism).We measured electromyographic activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle evoked by a startle stimulus while participants viewed images on a computer screen.Both studies revealed a negative correlation between general startle reactivity (averaged across positive, negative, and neutral images) and sadistic tendencies.
In Study 2, all four dark traits were negative correlates of general startle reactivity.Study 2 also examined the personality correlates of aversive startle potentiation (ASP; indexed by greater reactivity while viewing negatively-valenced images than positive or neutral images).ASP correlated negatively with a variety of personality measures of psychopathy and sadism, their facets, and related personality tendencies (callousness, risk-taking, and restricted affect).
These findings suggest that ordinary people with high levels of callousness and antagonism display physiological evidence of non-reactivity 2014 dodge ram 1500 fender flares (i.e., blunted acoustic startle in general), whereas psychopathy and sadism are preferentially associated with reduced ASP.