Animal House: The Dark Tetrad traits and membership in sororities and fraternities

Very little is known about the relationship between antagonistic personality traits and membership in Greek-letter organizations (GLOs). The present study (N = 2191) examined the association between the Dark Tetrad traits-Machiavellianism, grandiose narcissism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism-and membership in sororities and fraternities. Participants who were high in grandiose narcissism were more likely to be in sororities and fraternities, whereas participants who were high in Machiavellianism and everyday sadism were less likely to be in these organizations. Psychopathy was not significantly associated with membership in GLOs. Taken together, the present results suggest that members of GLOs are not necessarily more manipulative, cold-hearted, or cruel than their non-GLO counterparts, but they may be more entitled, domineering, and status-seeking.

Automated summary

This study examined the association between antagonistic personality traits and membership in Greek-letter organizations. The results showed that individuals high in grandiose narcissism were more likely to be members of these organizations, while those high in Machiavellianism and everyday sadism were less likely to join. Psychopathy, on the other hand, was not significantly associated with membership in these organizations.