A Machiavellian is someone who believes that the end justifies the means and who views other people as tools to achieve their own goals. The concept of Machiavellianism has attracted considerable...Show moreA Machiavellian is someone who believes that the end justifies the means and who views other people as tools to achieve their own goals. The concept of Machiavellianism has attracted considerable theoretical inquiry into the underlying processes that give rise to the construct. During this process multiple theories on the factorial structure of Machiavellianism have come into existence and many of the factor theories have found support. This thesis compares the factor structure of Machiavellianism using the original Machiavellianism measurement tool, the MACHIV. We utilized a large open-source data set (N= 73,486) from the Open-Source Psychometrics Project. We used structural equation modeling to compare a one-factor (Machiavellianism), two-factor (Views and Tactics) and three-factor (Antagonism, Agency and Planfulness) model. We found that all three of the models fit the data poorly but the one-factor model fits this data and measurement tool best, with no significant difference between the two- and three-factor models. The one-factor model fit best when using the original data, positively recoded data and when compared to uncorrelated (orthogonal) factor models. The poor fit indices on the one-factor model indicate that although the one-factor model fits better than the alternative models, alternative factor theories are needed to better explain the variance among individuals on the MACH-IV.Show less
Levels of anxious and avoidant attachment are influenced by age, sex and ecological stress. However, incongruencies on how these factors exactly affect anxious and avoidant attachment styles remain...Show moreLevels of anxious and avoidant attachment are influenced by age, sex and ecological stress. However, incongruencies on how these factors exactly affect anxious and avoidant attachment styles remain. The current study aims to strengthen current theories with a large and diverse sample, as well as to close the gaps in research. It therefore researches the effect of age, sex and ecological stress on anxious and avoidant attachment using a web-based version of the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire (N = 44,885; 30,766 females, 14,119 males, age range: 13-59). Ecological stress was evaluated using the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI). Results showed highest levels of anxious attachment in early adolescence, and lower levels in older age groups. Levels of avoidant attachment did not differ between all age groups, but were highest among 16-19 year olds and lowest among 50-59 year olds. Females showed higher levels of both anxious and avoidant attachment. Sex differences in anxious attachment were largest in adulthood, while sex differences in avoidant attachment were largest around early adolescence, smallest in middle adulthood, and increased again in older adulthood. Levels of anxious and avoidant attachment were highest in countries with a medium HDI, and lowest in countries with a low HDI. There was no significant effect for the two-way interaction between sex and HDI for both anxious and avoidant attachment. Suggestions for future research are discussed.Show less
The concept of the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) was proposed in 1905 and its key features are hard work, asceticism, and success. The main unanswered question in the context of PWE is its relation...Show moreThe concept of the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) was proposed in 1905 and its key features are hard work, asceticism, and success. The main unanswered question in the context of PWE is its relation to demographic variables. Relationships between PWE and demographic variables are still not clear. The current study aims to answer the research question: “How do demographic variables influence the Protestant Work Ethic?” To address this question, the thesis proposes a single-factor model of PWE, which is assessed on five demographic variables: formal education, age, family size, marital status, and religion. Groups were created for each of the five variables in order to assess their relationship with PWE. For the statistical analysis, multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was used and measurement invariance was evaluated in order to account for the differences between the groups. Based on the academic literature five hypotheses were created on the basis of model fit, factor loadings, and predicted factor scores. Only two of the hypotheses were partially supported (religion and family size) due to consistently higher factor loadings. Patterns were observed across most of the groups. Lower-educated participants exhibit distaste for leisure time, while more educated participants tend to be more hard-working. Religious people tend to endorse PWE less. Participants with more siblings endorse PWE more. Young participants tend to be more success-oriented, compared to single participants and middle-aged participants who are more hardworking. Future research should be focused on the area of demographics, the differences between religions in the context of a multidimensional factor model of PWE, and testing measurement invariance.Show less
