Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1-1-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Psychology

First Advisor

Carrie V. Smith

Second Advisor

Joseph D. Wellman

Third Advisor

Grace Rivera

School

University of Mississippi

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

Research has consistently linked Dark Personality (DP) to one’s mating tendencies (e.g., mating strategy, sexual behavior, sociosexual orientation) and sexual motivation. However, DP researchers have failed to expand the association between DP and sex beyond these common sexual dimensions. As such, there is little to no research linking DP to people’s sexual satisfaction and sexual perceptions. Additionally, personality research has predominantly investigated sexuality at the global-level (e.g., average/general report of sexual satisfaction) when studying aspects of sexual interaction at the interaction-level (i.e., soon after the interaction) can reduce various issues that accompany global measures. Thus, one purpose of this current study is to replicate previous findings investigating the relationship between DP and global sexual satisfaction. This current study then aims to determine if there is a relationship between DP traits and the two facets of sexual satisfaction (i.e., emotional satisfaction and physical satisfaction) and sexual perceptions at the interaction-level using an event-contingent design. After answering some initial questions, 388 participants answered a series of questions after a sexual interaction occurred for three weeks. Our results revealed that although DP was not linked to global sexual satisfaction, DP was linked to lower physical satisfaction but not emotional satisfaction. Furthermore, individual differences in DP was linked to multiple sexual perceptions. Interpretations of these results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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