Dark personalities: exploring the links between cognitive style and the Dark Triad

In the study of anxiety and depression most research has focused on personality as risk factors for psychopathology (Klein, Kotov & Bufferd, 2011). While the traits of neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness have been linked to anxiety and depression. Another area of differential psychology that may offer an alternative perspective on psychopathology is that of style research, more particularly thinking styles. The literature on thinking styles is peppered with a multitude of models of thinking styles, therefore being hindered by a lack of consensus over a comprehensive taxonomy of thinking styles. The Ways of Thinking (WOT) model of thinking styles was developed by J. Roodenburg (2006) with the aim of providing this much needed consensus taxonomy. The current study aimed to use the WOT instrument (Roodenburg, 2015; Costello, 2016) in order to explore the relationship between thinking styles and anxiety and depression. Results from regression analyses showed significant associations between WOT factors and anxiety (F (11, 816) = 24.799, p <.001, r² = .251) and depression (F (11, 816) = 38.096, p <.001, r² = .339). Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.