title: [Cold-minded thinking? The role of emotional intelligence and emotional stability in Machiavellian decision-making].
abstract: Previous studies clearly show that Machiavellians' thinking and behavior are characterized by some kind of cold attitude, a tendency to be detached from the emotional features of a particular situation. However, very little is known what this cold-minded attitude means, and the presence or the absence of what abilities can lead to emotional detachment. Surprisingly, our study has shown that Machiavellians - contrary to what others believe - happen to exhibit more emotional instability than others. They experience more negative emotions, lose their peace of mind faster, and have a hard time tolerating psychological distress. However, they try to conceal their emotional worries in two different ways. On the one hand, they cannot express their emotions as subtly and precisely as others, and on the other, they are much worse at identifying and differentiating their own emotional states. Maybe it is just the deficit in evaluating and expressing emotions that enables them to implement the strategy to enforce their self-interest successfully. The weak ability to identify and comprehend their own emotions may help them stay detached from the emotional temperature of a situation, while the difficulties in expressing their emotions enable them to disguise their true intentions from their partners.
authors.affiliation: PTE Pszichologiai Intezet, Pecs, Hungary, E-mail: bereczkei.tamas@pte.hu.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szíjjártó
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bereczkei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension; D003657:Decision Making; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008257:Machiavellianism; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires