Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31337/oz.74.2.4
Occult Practices, the Demonic Syndrome and the Dark Triad of Personality
Zlatko Šram
; Croatian Center for Applied Social Research, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This research is the first attempt to investigate empirically (a) the link between occult practices and the demonic syndrome and (b) the link between the Dark Triad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and occult practices and the demonic syndrome. The survey was carried out on a random sample of Croats (N=189) living in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia). The scales measuring both occult practices and the demonic syndrome were developed for the purpose of this research. Factor analysis showed the construct validity of the scales that were proven to be reliable and homogenous measuring instruments. The Dark Triad was measured by the Short Dark Triad (SD3) (Jones & Paulhus, 2014). It was found that occult practices and the demonic syndrome were substantially correlated (r=0.57). All three dimensions of the Dark Triad were in much stronger correlation with occult practices than the demonic syndrome. We found that the existence of mental disorder manifested in the subjective feelings and experiences of a demonic presence, influence, and control is a result of dabbling in the occult. Manipulativeness, egocentricity and lack of empathy are the traits of a person inclined to engage in occult practices. It is supposed that there are different and more serious mental disorders underlying the demonic syndrome.
Keywords
occult practices; demonic syndrome; mental disorders; the Dark Triad; Croats in Vojvodina
Hrčak ID:
219967
URI
Publication date:
17.5.2019.
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