Mach IV (Christie & Geis)
Psychology: PersonalityReliability: alpha 0.743 sample items
About this scale
A 20-item measure of Machiavellianism — manipulativeness, cynical worldview, and lack of conventional morality. Foundational measure of the Dark Triad's first member.
Sample item(s)
“The best way to handle people is to tell them what they want to hear”
“Anyone who completely trusts anyone else is asking for trouble”
“It is hard to get ahead without cutting corners here and there”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.74. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Foundational measure; superseded by SD3 short form for modern Dark Triad research.
Source & citation
Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970): Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press.
Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970): Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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