Associations of the managing the emotions of others (MEOS) scale with personality, the Dark Triad and trait EI

The associations of the managing the emotions of others (MEOS) scale with the Big Five and the Dark Triad were examined. This extended previous research by using full-length rather than short-form personality measures and also by examining the separate associations of both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, and primary and secondary psychopathy with MEOS factors. The pattern of personality correlations with the MEOS scales was similar to those found previously. The two non-prosocial factors of the MEOS (Worsen, Inauthentic) were found to be more strongly associated with primary than with secondary psychopathy. For vulnerable narcissism, an interesting pattern of associations with the MEOS Inauthentic factor and with Neuroticism emerged. The possibility of a pathway linking trait EI to the tendency to use non-prosocial mood management was examined using models in which Agreeableness (A) was a mediator or moderator. A was found to mediate the (negative) association between trait EI and both Worsen and Inauthentic, and some evidence was found that A could also act as a moderator, weakening the factors' association with EI at low levels of A.