Low Power and High Psychopathy: A Toxic Combination for Psychological Aggression.

ABSTRACT: Power and aggression are core relational variables that share a fickle relationship. It is unclear whether high or low power relates to psychological aggression and under which circumstances. We tested psychopathy as a potential moderator in the power-aggression link because psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy and shallow emotional response. Psychopathy could strengthen the link between high power and psychological aggression because power ignites character traits and their corresponding behavior. Alternatively, psychopathy could strengthen the link between low power and psychological aggression because individuals high in psychopathy may attempt to compensate for their lack of power with aggression. We tested these competing hypotheses in a romantic context across two studie

SUBMITTER: Korner R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12326235 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature