Scale Overview
The Machiavellianism Test – MACH-IV was developed by Richard Christie & Florence L. Geis (1970). It is designed to measure Machiavellianism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Tactics, Views, Morality.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Tactics |
1,2,10,15,18,19 |
6 |
| Views |
4,5,8,11,12,13,14,17,20 |
9 |
| Morality |
3,6,7,9,16 |
5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Moderately disagree, 3 = Slightly disagree, 4 = Neutral, 5 = Slightly agree, 6 = Moderately agree, 7 = Strongly agree.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 20 to 140. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Machiavellianism: 20 – 79
- Neutral: 80 – 80
- High Machiavellianism: 81 – 140
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.70 – 0.80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.