The Relationship between Machiavellianism and Moral Behavior among University Students in Pakistan

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between Machiavellianism and moral behavior among university students in Pakistan. A correlational research design was used with a convenience sample of 300 university students (146 male, 154 female) drawn from universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Participants completed the Machiavellian Personality Scale (Dahling, Whitaker, & Levy, 2009) and the Moral Behavior Inventory (Mendez, Anderson, & Shapira, 2005). Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation and independent-samples t-tests in IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 27). Results revealed a significant negative correlation between Machiavellianism and moral behavior, r(298) = -.133, p < .05, indicating that students with stronger Machiavellian tendencies reported comparatively lower moral behavioral standards. No significant gender difference emerged for Machiavellianism, although female students scored significantly higher than male students on moral behavior. These findings are consistent with international research linking Machiavellian personality traits to reduced ethical sensitivity and extend this evidence to a non-Western, collectivist academic setting. Implications for character education and ethics training in higher education are discussed.