This research investigated age-related differences in Machiavellianism among adults. In this sample of 252 (135 women, 117 men, age range = 17 yr. to 66 yr.), Mach scores appeared to decline with age; respondents aged 38 yr. and older had significantly lower scores than did the two younger groups of respondents (17 yr. to 21 yr., and 22 yr. to 24 yr.). No evidence of nonlinearity in the age-Machiavellianism relationship could be detected.
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