Do Machiavellianism and Ingratiation Predict Sorority Officer Status?

Abstract

This study examined whether individuals’ tendencies toward Machiavellianism and ingratiation would predict their leadership behavior in sororities. Participants were 13 undergraduates who were present or past members of a sorority. Participants partook in a survey inquiring about a) how often they engaged in ingratiation (e.g., purposefully agreeing with and complimenting others) and b) their acceptance of “Machiavellian” actions (e.g., manipulating others to achieve one’s goals). Participants then indicated how often they had been elected to officer-held positions in a sorority and how long they had held those positions. Correlational analyses indicated that employing ingratiation tactics was the best predictor of a participant holding an officer position, and that specific elements of Machiavellianism (i.e., desire for control, a distrust of others) predicted running for (but not being elected to) leadership sorority positions.