Psychopathy, Narcissism, and the Big Five: Understanding Sexual Assault Perpetration and Bystander Intervention

Abstract

Due to the level of victimization experienced by college students, it is important to understand factors contributing to perpetration of sexual assault, including personality traits and sexually aggressive attitudes. Furthermore, an increased interest in solving the problem of sexual aggression on college campuses has highlighted the importance of identifying effective intervention strategies, such as bystander interventions. The present study expands upon previous work by evaluating how specific psychopathic and narcissistic traits predict sexual assault in college men. Additionally, this research examined personality traits and sexual attitudes associated with bystander intervention behavior. The primary hypotheses were (1) individuals with higher levels of narcissistic and psychopathic traits would be more likely to commit sexually aggressive acts, (2) perpetrators of sexual assault and rape would be lower in Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, (3) belief in rape myths would mediate the relationship between personality traits and sexual assault behavior, and (4) individuals who intervened as bystanders would be lower in psychopathic and narcissistic traits, and endorse fewer rape myth beliefs. Participants (N = 438) were male undergraduate students from a psychology department subject pool at a large university in the southwestern United States. A total of 48 participants indicated they had initiated or attempted any nonconsensual sexual contact since age 14. Higher scores on narcissistic vulnerability and psychopathic boldness and meanness were associated with greater endorsement of common myths about rape. Higher scores on open-mindedness predicted lower belief in rape myths. Rape myth beliefs were further examined as a possible mediator of the relationship between personality traits and sexual assault perpetration. The results indicated that latent levels of psychopathy and narcissism did not significantly predict total number of sexual assault perpetrations. Analyses indicated that higher levels of specific narcissistic (entitlement and vulnerability) and psychopathic (boldness and disinhibition) traits increased the odds of sexual assault perpetration. Big Five agreeableness and neuroticism were important predictors of decreased likelihood of committing sexual assault. Regarding bystander behavior, Big Five extraversion and open-mindedness predicted bystander intervention. Bystander variables were unrelated to rape myth beliefs.