Personality and the perception of situations: The Big Five and Dark Triad traits

Individuals differ in how they perceive the world and these perceptions have important consequences in the world. Patterns in those perceptions may be correlated with individual differences in personality. In this study (N = 237), we developed a unique, picture-based method to assess perceptions of situations—in this case a bar, a classroom, and an office—based on the situational eight DIAMONDS (i.e., Duty, Intellect, Adversity, Mating, pOsitivity, Negativity, Deception, Sociality) measure. We correlated personality traits with the perceptions in each location and aggregated across all situations. Replicating previous work, we found the Big Five traits (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) were linked to individual differences in perceptions. For instance, those who were neurotic saw danger in locations with no obvious threats. Unlike previous work, we also contrast these findings with those of the Dark Triad traits (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism). Specifically, those high in the Dark Triad traits saw the same situations affording them mating and deception opportunities. We consider the possibility that (1) personality traits are associated with biased situational judgments but, also, that (2) biased perceptions might lead to the behavioral syndromes that reflect modern personality traits. •Replicated and extended links between personality and situational affordances.•Machiavellianism and psychopathic people perceived mating affordances.•The Dark Triad traits were linked to deception affordances.•Extraversion was linked to more sociality affordances.•Neuroticism was linked to more affordances of adversity and negativity.