Hansika Kapoor, PhD

We examined (N = 355; 250 women) how the Dark Tetrad traits (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sadism) are associated with moral dilemmas and Moral Foundations. The Dark Triad traits were associated with utilitarian decision-making on moral dilemmas. Sadism did not provide incremental variance above the Dark Triad traits in accounting for responses to moral dilemmas. Compromised morality explained higher dilemma scores, beyond the Dark Tetrad traits. Therefore, we suggest… Show more

We examined (N = 355; 250 women) how the Dark Tetrad traits (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sadism) are associated with moral dilemmas and Moral Foundations. The Dark Triad traits were associated with utilitarian decision-making on moral dilemmas. Sadism did not provide incremental variance above the Dark Triad traits in accounting for responses to moral dilemmas. Compromised morality explained higher dilemma scores, beyond the Dark Tetrad traits. Therefore, we suggest that compromised moral values within dark personalities result in higher utilitarian decision-making. Men had darker personalities and were more utilitarian than women were, while women were more moral than men. Subsequently, men made more utilitarian decisions as compared to women, which may be a result of their darker personalities and lower concerns for moral values. Collectively, our results add to the discussion about the need to expand the Dark Triad to include sadism and the role of personality in understanding individual differences, morality, and moral decision-making. Show less

Negative creativity is using the creative process to meet a negative goal, without the deliberate intent to harm. This report investigates whether sex differences exist in the expression of negative creativity. Secondary data across four experiments (N = 641, 293 women) using divergent thinking tasks were compared for differences in positive and negative creativity, between and within men and women. Results showed that all but one result was in line with a gender similarities perspective to… Show more

Negative creativity is using the creative process to meet a negative goal, without the deliberate intent to harm. This report investigates whether sex differences exist in the expression of negative creativity. Secondary data across four experiments (N = 641, 293 women) using divergent thinking tasks were compared for differences in positive and negative creativity, between and within men and women. Results showed that all but one result was in line with a gender similarities perspective to negative creativity, with men and women being equally negatively creative. However, greater variability was noted for men in positive creativity on object-based tasks, and for women in negative creativity. Further, whereas men were more likely to be positively than negatively creativity, women's creative performance was equivalent across valences in real-world divergent thinking tasks. This may be accounted for by differing cognitive styles adopted during creative task performance as well as creativity task effects. Show less

Cognitive theory and naturalistic decision-making models were utilized to examine the relationship between thoughts, behaviours, and emotions in daily decision-making. An experimental survey using vignettes examined the effects of investment of cognitive and behavioural effort in hypothetical vignettes on emotional responses to uncertain negative outcomes. For each vignette, this negative outcome was either surprising or distressing. Further, the type of uncertainty was an alteration… Show more

Cognitive theory and naturalistic decision-making models were utilized to examine the relationship between thoughts, behaviours, and emotions in daily decision-making. An experimental survey using vignettes examined the effects of investment of cognitive and behavioural effort in hypothetical vignettes on emotional responses to uncertain negative outcomes. For each vignette, this negative outcome was either surprising or distressing. Further, the type of uncertainty was an alteration, inclusion, or cancellation pertaining to the original vignette, yielding six conditions in the within-groups design. Participants (N = 335, 220 females) responded to each vignette by choosing a behavioural effort option (low or high), following which they elaborated the reason for their choice (high or low cognitive effort). They also responded to the predetermined negative outcome on an affective scale (emotional response). Results showed that (a) emotional responses to vignettes varied, based on the type of uncertainty in the scenario; (b) surprising outcomes elicited higher emotional distress; (c) behavioural effort positively predicted emotional distress when the type of uncertainty was alteration or inclusion; and (d) strategies involving high cognitive effort predicted investment of high behavioural effort in the vignette. Implications of examining behavioural, cognitive, and emotional processes leading to daily decisions are discussed in the context of coping with uncertainty. Show less

While psychological literature is familiar with the study of individual creativity, macro-level creative industries and economies have been studied only recently. Indices like the Global Creativity Index (GCI) and the Global Innovation Index (GII) compile information of over 130 economies to provide a snapshot of their creative and innovative behaviour. Given the positive association between creative occupations and subjective well-being (SWB), a study at the national level between these… Show more

While psychological literature is familiar with the study of individual creativity, macro-level creative industries and economies have been studied only recently. Indices like the Global Creativity Index (GCI) and the Global Innovation Index (GII) compile information of over 130 economies to provide a snapshot of their creative and innovative behaviour. Given the positive association between creative occupations and subjective well-being (SWB), a study at the national level between these variables can provide valuable insights. Creative inputs, such as a tolerant environment, creative out-puts like number of patents filed nationally, and the monetization of creative activities, like the monetary value of creative good exports were used as predictors for SWB. Quantitative regression analyses of secondary data from various agencies, including the World Bank, International Labor Organization, and Gallup Poll, indicated that SWB was significantly explained by specific creativity parameters at the national level. In line with the assumptions that creativity and innovation will be the drivers of future economies and ideas will create economic value, relationships between creativity and SWB can provide meaning and motivation to countries looking to capitalize human resources. Show less

Gossip is comprised of evaluative talk about absent others. Although such evaluations may be moral or non-moral, moral judgments often precede the transmission of gossip. This work explored the salience of moral and non-moral motivations to transmit gossip-like information. Two studies explored the relationships between the general tendency to gossip, transmission of, and interest in gossip, five moral foundations (Harm/care, Fairness/reciprocity, Ingroup/loyalty, Authority/respect… Show more

Gossip is comprised of evaluative talk about absent others. Although such evaluations may be moral or non-moral, moral judgments often precede the transmission of gossip. This work explored the salience of moral and non-moral motivations to transmit gossip-like information. Two studies explored the relationships between the general tendency to gossip, transmission of, and interest in gossip, five moral foundations (Harm/care, Fairness/reciprocity, Ingroup/loyalty, Authority/respect, Purity/sanctity), their sacredness in relational contexts, and moral and non-moral motives to gossip. Results from Studies 1 (negative gossip - infidelity) and 2 (positive gossip - fidelity) indicated that moral motives to gossip were more important than non-moral motives. The contribution of morality in perpetuating gossip was discussed. Show less

Drawing from literature associating superheroes with altruism, this study examined whether ordinary individuals engaged in altruistic or selfish behavior when they were hypothetically given superpowers. Participants were presented with six superpowers—three positive (healing, invulnerability, and flight) and three negative (fear inducement, psychic persuasion, and poison generation). They indicated their desirability for each power, what they would use it for (social benefit, personal gain… Show more

Drawing from literature associating superheroes with altruism, this study examined whether ordinary individuals engaged in altruistic or selfish behavior when they were hypothetically given superpowers. Participants were presented with six superpowers—three positive (healing, invulnerability, and flight) and three negative (fear inducement, psychic persuasion, and poison generation). They indicated their desirability for each power, what they would use it for (social benefit, personal gain, social harm), and listed examples of such uses. Quantitative analyses (n = 285) revealed that 94% of participants wished to possess a superpower, and majority indicated using powers for benefitting themselves than for altruistic purposes. Furthermore, while men wanted positive and negative powers more, women were more likely than men to use such powers for personal and social gain. Qualitative analyses of the uses of the powers (n = 524) resulted in 16 themes of altruistic and selfish behavior. Results were analyzed within Pearce and Amato’s model of helping behavior, which was used to classify altruistic behavior, and adapted to classify selfish behavior. In contrast to how superheroes behave, both sets of analyses revealed that participants would hypothetically use superpowers for selfish rather than altruistic purposes. Limitations and suggestions for future research are outlined. Show less

Recent research has been investigating positive and negative valences of creativity; that is, using the creative process to meet positive and/or negative goals set by respective stakeholders. Given the past association between creativity and deception, this study examined whether deception was differentially related to these valences of creativity. Participants (N = 169) completed a real-world divergent thinking task, and responded to measures of trait deception and ideational fluency… Show more

Recent research has been investigating positive and negative valences of creativity; that is, using the creative process to meet positive and/or negative goals set by respective stakeholders. Given the past association between creativity and deception, this study examined whether deception was differentially related to these valences of creativity. Participants (N = 169) completed a real-world divergent thinking task, and responded to measures of trait deception and ideational fluency. Responses were coded for originality, valence, and whether deception was used to address the situation. Results supported the overall relationship between trait deception and originality. In the high creative subsample (n = 42), trait deception predicted not just originality, but also both valences of creativity. However, in contrast to positive creativity, individuals were more likely to use deceptive and creative processes only to engage in negative creativity. Thus, deception as a process variable was associated with negative creativity. In the four Ps framework of creativity (Rhodes, 1961), results suggested that deception operated as a Person component in positive creativity, but as Person and Process facets in negative creativity. Implications for future research include identifying other cognitive processes along which the valences of creativity differ, and assessing such differences via electrophysiological means. Show less

Although the dark side of creativity and negative creativity are shaping into legitimate subconstructs, measures to assess the same remain to be validated. To meet this goal, two studies assessed the convergent, predictive, and criterion-related validities of two valence-inclusive creativity measures. One measure assessed the self-report endorsement of social creativity, and the other was an Alternate Uses Test (AUT) assessing generation of nonsocial creativity. Participants (N = 129, 88 women,… Show more

Although the dark side of creativity and negative creativity are shaping into legitimate subconstructs, measures to assess the same remain to be validated. To meet this goal, two studies assessed the convergent, predictive, and criterion-related validities of two valence-inclusive creativity measures. One measure assessed the self-report endorsement of social creativity, and the other was an Alternate Uses Test (AUT) assessing generation of nonsocial creativity. Participants (N = 129, 88 women, Mage = 25.09 years, SD = 10.03) completed the two creativity measures and three Dark Triad personality scales (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism) through an online form. Correlations and multiple regressions were employed in the studies. Study 1 assessed the convergent and predictive validities between the two measures. Results indicated a strong convergence on the measurement of positive creativity, but not on negative creativity. Study 2 used the Dark Triad of personality as an external criterion to evaluate the criterion-related validity of the measurement of negative creativity. Although the Dark Triad predicted the self-reported endorsement of negative creativity, there was no discernable relationship with the generation of negative-creative responses on the AUT. Implications of current results, and suggestions for future metrics of valence-inclusive creativity are discussed. Show less

This study aims to investigate intra-household bargaining outcomes elicited in an artefactual field experiment design where participants completed a purchase task of real commodities. Married couples separately expressed their initial preferences over commodities. The bargaining process in the experiment was exogenously introduced by sharing information about partners’ preferences in the treatment group. We hypothesized that the spouse with weaker bargaining position at the household level… Show more

This study aims to investigate intra-household bargaining outcomes elicited in an artefactual field experiment design where participants completed a purchase task of real commodities. Married couples separately expressed their initial preferences over commodities. The bargaining process in the experiment was exogenously introduced by sharing information about partners’ preferences in the treatment group. We hypothesized that the spouse with weaker bargaining position at the household level would consider the information of their partner’s preferences while making own consumption decisions more compared to their partner. Therefore, they may deviate from their own preferences when purchasing commodities. More than 230 married couples from two villages in the Tamil Nadu state of India participated in the experiment. It was observed that information about partners’ spending preferences resulted in reduced final allocations for female participants. However, the deviation was not significantly different from the original intention to spend. Therefore, information about partners’ preferences may not be an effective medium to elicit bargaining power in the context of jointly-consumed household commodities. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify any heterogeneous treatment effects. Show less

Abstract
The darker shades of creativity have recently attracted great interest because negative and malevolent creativity are found in multiple domains. It is easier to conceive of creative acts that meet negative goals as uncreative, primarily because of their immoral and unethical nature. However, a complete understanding of the creativity construct may be obtained by assessing it within a valenced framework, wherein each component of creativity is positive or negative. In this… Show more

Abstract
The darker shades of creativity have recently attracted great interest because negative and malevolent creativity are found in multiple domains. It is easier to conceive of creative acts that meet negative goals as uncreative, primarily because of their immoral and unethical nature. However, a complete understanding of the creativity construct may be obtained by assessing it within a valenced framework, wherein each component of creativity is positive or negative. In this qualitative account of malevolent creativity, we review manifestations of such creativities in the contexts of art, science, and technology. That is, original and subjectively useful actions taken by actors in each of these domains, which meet negative goals, with the deliberate intent to harm another individual or society at large. First, a brief review of literature in the areas of dark, negative, and malevolent creativity is presented. Second, qualitative accounts of malevolent creativity in art (forgery), science (academic dishonesty), and technology (cybercrime) are analyzed through D. H. Cropley‘s (2010) framework integrating valence and Rhodes‘ (1961) four Ps model of creativity. Each domain is first examined independently; subsequently, attempts are made to identify commonalities underlying malevolent creative behaviours across domains. Suggestions for future research in this emerging subfield of creativity are provided. Show less

Abstract
The current paper is a critical commentary on the existing conceptualization of Internet Addiction. Specifically, the paper highlights fallacies in perceiving Internet Addiction as a ‘traditional’ addiction disorder, as presented in the DSM-5. Instead, it is proposed that, akin to the nature of the Internet, this disorder is also multi-faceted and that individuals are not addicted to the Internet per se, but rather to what the Internet may offer. Further, the paper discusses the… Show more

Abstract
The current paper is a critical commentary on the existing conceptualization of Internet Addiction. Specifically, the paper highlights fallacies in perceiving Internet Addiction as a ‘traditional’ addiction disorder, as presented in the DSM-5. Instead, it is proposed that, akin to the nature of the Internet, this disorder is also multi-faceted and that individuals are not addicted to the Internet per se, but rather to what the Internet may offer. Further, the paper discusses the need to distinguish between clinical addiction and subclinical Internet usage. In particular, it is argued that excessive Internet use can enhance and facilitate productivity, and that a distinction must be made between essential and non-essential uses of the Internet, as well as the proportion of time spent on these two types of activities. Last, the paper questions the validity of existing measures of Internet Addiction. It is suggested that it may be beneficial for the understanding and conceptualization of Internet Addiction to move away from existing addiction and impulsecontrol models, and instead be framed independently. Show less

Abstract
The Bechdel test is a popular measure used to examine the adequacy of representation of women in movies, and other media. Although often applied to Hollywood movies, the test has rarely, if ever, been used to assess Hindi cinema. This paper adopts, adapts, and extends the original Bechdel test to scrutinise stereotypical, non-stereotypical, and typical dialogic content of same-sex conversations in three genres of Hindi cinema – top-grossing blockbuster films, women-centric movies… Show more

Abstract
The Bechdel test is a popular measure used to examine the adequacy of representation of women in movies, and other media. Although often applied to Hollywood movies, the test has rarely, if ever, been used to assess Hindi cinema. This paper adopts, adapts, and extends the original Bechdel test to scrutinise stereotypical, non-stereotypical, and typical dialogic content of same-sex conversations in three genres of Hindi cinema – top-grossing blockbuster films, women-centric movies, and parallel cinema. Using a qualitative approach to code dialogues, and quantifying subsequent frequencies, the current work highlights the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of female characters in contemporary Hindi cinema. The time taken for men to speak to men and women to speak to women was also quantified. While women-centric and parallel films depict a more balanced portrayal of male and female characters, top-grossing films are heavily lopsided, with some being devoid of a second female lead, and hence of female-to-female dialogues. Male characters spoke of more varied areas, both stereotypical and non-stereotypical, than women particularly in top-grossing content. The implications of such depictions in cinema, and their subsequent effect on perceptions of men and women in society, is discussed. Show less

Abstract
Negative creativity is shaping into a legitimate sub-construct of creativity. To meet the goal of studying it in conjunction with the Dark Triad, participants (N = 129, 88 Indians, 88 women, M age = 25.09 years, SD = 10.03) completed two creativity measures and three personality scales. The Alternate Uses Test (AUT) and a self-report Creativity measure were used to assess the two va-lences of creativity—positive and negative. The relationship between negative creativity and negative… Show more

Abstract
Negative creativity is shaping into a legitimate sub-construct of creativity. To meet the goal of studying it in conjunction with the Dark Triad, participants (N = 129, 88 Indians, 88 women, M age = 25.09 years, SD = 10.03) completed two creativity measures and three personality scales. The Alternate Uses Test (AUT) and a self-report Creativity measure were used to assess the two va-lences of creativity—positive and negative. The relationship between negative creativity and negative personality traits, namely, the Dark Triad, was investigated to study the criterion validity of the creativity measures. While the Dark Triad predicted endorsement of negative creativity on the Creativity measure, there was no discernable relationship with the generation of negative creative responses on the AUT. Further, the AUT led to the generation of less than two percent of negative-creative responses. Suggestions for improving the AUT as a tool to measure negative creativity are discussed. Show less

Abstract
This study associates the subclinical dark triad (DT) of personality—narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, and their composite—with negative creativity. An instrument developed by the author assessed the likelihood of engaging in creativity, where negative creativity was defined as an act that is original and useful to the individual. The strength of association between creativity, positivity, and negativity was assessed via an Implicit Association Test. The DT scales… Show more

Abstract
This study associates the subclinical dark triad (DT) of personality—narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, and their composite—with negative creativity. An instrument developed by the author assessed the likelihood of engaging in creativity, where negative creativity was defined as an act that is original and useful to the individual. The strength of association between creativity, positivity, and negativity was assessed via an Implicit Association Test. The DT scales, Creativity measure, and the IAT were administered to 51 Indian adults (M age = 22.3 years, 27 women). Multiple regression analyses revealed positive associations between narcissism and positive creativity, and between psychopathy and negative creativity. Further, the composite DT score predicted engagement in negative creativity. The associative strength between negativity and creativity on the IAT was not significant, though corollaries were drawn. Limitations and contributions of this study are outlined, and suggestions for future research are summarised. Show less

Abstract
Although swearing is taboo language, it frequently appears in daily conversations. To explain this paradox, two studies examined contextualized swearing in Indian and non- Indian participants. In Study 1, participants assessed the appropriateness of mild, moderate, and severe swears in casual and abusive contexts; in Study 2, participants completed contextual dialogues with mild, moderate, or severe swearwords. Results indicated that mild and moderate swears were more appropriate in… Show more

Abstract
Although swearing is taboo language, it frequently appears in daily conversations. To explain this paradox, two studies examined contextualized swearing in Indian and non- Indian participants. In Study 1, participants assessed the appropriateness of mild, moderate, and severe swears in casual and abusive contexts; in Study 2, participants completed contextual dialogues with mild, moderate, or severe swearwords. Results indicated that mild and moderate swears were more appropriate in casual settings than in abusive scenarios; severe swears were the most inappropriate, regardless of context. Mild and moderate swears were likely to be used to complete casual and abusive dialogues respectively, even though it was expected that severe swears would be compatible with abusive settings. Moreover, gender and nationality differences suggested that assessing appropriateness of swearing behaviour and likelihood of swearword usage provided independent and contrasting findings. Cultural variations in swearing behaviour, particularly contextualized swearing, and suggestions for further research are outlined. Show less