The Intervention of Affective Empathy Training Will Be Effective in Altering Dark Personality Traits.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine if the intervention of affective empathy training will be effective in altering dark personality traits. In this current study, individuals will complete the short dark triad. After participants complete the short dark triad, those with higher scores in one or more personality trait will be asked to be a part of the intervention training. First, participants will be shown normed pictures of individuals from the IAPS. When shown the image, participants must first identify the emotional state of the individual. Next, while looking at the image, participants will be asked to try and take that other’s perspective in the situation. Finally, participants will be asked to “share” in the emotional response in the image through affective discrimination and role-taking. After training is complete, participants will complete the short dark triad a second time to assess if there were shifts in dark personality traits. In other words, the effectiveness of the empathy training intervention can be assessed with short-term shifts in personality traits. Research has shown that those who are higher in dark personality traits tend to show a lower amount of affective empathy towards others.