Abstract

The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between narcissistic personality, relational power status, and infidelity intention. Based on the person × situation interaction perspective, the each effect of narcissistic personality as personal factor and relational power status as situational factor and the interaction effect of both were investigated. Also, we tried to confirm the gender difference of the interaction effect on infidelity intention. For analysis, unmarried single adults (n = 167) were recruited and they completed a questionnaire measuring their level of narcissism. Then participants had two scenarios as followed. Firstly, they read one hypothetical situation about relational power (high vs. low). Secondly, participants read a second hypothetical scenario in which they are given a chance to cheat on their partner and answered questions about their infidelity intention. As expected, the interaction effect of narcissism and relational power status was significant. Specifically, the positive relationship between narcissism and infidelity intention was revealed only when power was manipulated low. The three-way interaction(narcissism, power, gender) was also significant. For men, the positive relationship between narcissism and infidelity intention was revealed only when power was low, however, for women, the positive relationship was significant only when power was high. Based on these results, we discussed the person and situation interaction on infidelity intention.