Machiavellianism Test Mach IV [MTMI-20]

Brief Description

The Mach-IV Scale (MTMI-20) is a psychometric instrument developed by Richard Christie and Florence Geis to assess an individual’s tendency toward Machiavellian behavior. In the source material, this construct is described mainly in terms of the use of manipulation, deception, and strategic behavior for personal gain.

The instrument consists of 20 statements rated according to the respondent’s level of agreement. The responses are intended to reflect attitudes associated with cynicism, strategic interpersonal behavior, and a tendency to manipulate others in order to achieve personal goals.

Aim

The primary aim of the MTMI-20 is to assess the extent to which an individual displays Machiavellian tendencies, including the use of deception, manipulation, and strategic behavior to pursue personal objectives.

According to the source material, such assessment may contribute to understanding aspects of an individual’s psychological profile, especially in relation to behavior in social and occupational situations.

The scale may also be used in research examining the relationship between Machiavellianism and variables such as morality, trust, interpersonal relationships, occupational behavior, and social intelligence.

Scoring

The MTMI-20 consists of 20 items, rated on a 7-point Likert scale:

1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Moderately disagree
3 = Slightly disagree
4 = Neutral
5 = Slightly agree
6 = Moderately agree
7 = Strongly agree

The overall score is derived from the responses to the individual items.

Interpretation

According to the provided material, a higher total score indicates stronger Machiavellian tendencies, whereas a lower score suggests a lower tendency toward manipulative or strategically deceptive behavior.

Interpretation should be made cautiously and within the context of the specific research or psychological assessment purpose. The scale measures a set of attitudes and behavioral tendencies and should not be used alone to make broad judgments about an individual’s personality.

Applications

The Mach-IV has been used in psychological research to examine associations between Machiavellianism and different personality and social-behavioral characteristics.

The instrument may be applied in studies examining:

• manipulative behavior,
• cynicism and interpersonal attitudes,
• trust,
• ethical decision-making,
• social and occupational relationships.

It may also be used to investigate differences between population groups or associations between Machiavellianism and other psychological variables.

References

Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970). How devious are you? Take the Machiavelli test to find out. Journal of Management in Engineering, 15(4), 17.

Christie, R., & Geis, F. (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism. New York: Academic Press.

Corral, S., & Calvete, E. (2000). Machiavellianism: Dimensionality of the Mach IV and its relation to self-monitoring in a Spanish sample. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 3(1), 3–13.