Retaliatory aggression by high and low Machiavellians against remorseful and non-remorseful wrongdoers

Forty-eight female subjects observed a confederate steal money from them. When accused of stealing, the confederate either expressed remorse or did not express remorse. Subjects were then given the opportunity to aggress against the confederate. More aggression was directed against a non-remorseful than against a remorseful confederate. There was also a significant interaction effect of the remorse manipulation and subject's level of Machiavellianism. High Machs aggressed more against a remorseful confederate than did low Machs. High Machs were more suspicious of the remorseful confederate's sincerity. High Machs also tended to show less aggression than low Machs towards the non-remorseful wrongdoer.