Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study examined whether gender differences in empathy and prosocial behavior operate through Dark Triad personality traits. By treating personality as the mediator, we move beyond male–female comparisons and provide a clear, culturally relevant explanation for when and why gender-linked helping patterns emerge. METHODS: Using convenience sampling, 323 Chinese undergraduates (133 males, 190 females) completed validated self-report questionnaires: the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM), and the Dirty Dozen (DD). Mediation and sequential mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS and Mplus. RESULTS: Empathy did not differ by gender. However, psychopathy significantly mediated the link between gender and both empathy dimensions. Machiavellianism and psychopathy mediated gender differences in anonymous and compliant prosocial behaviors. A sequential pathway showed that psychopathy reduced affective empathy, which in turn lowered altruistic behavior among men. CONCLUSIONS: Gender showed little direct association with empathy and prosocial behavior once Dark Triad traits were accounted for; psychopathy (and, for some domains, Machiavellianism) mediated the observed differences. These findings suggest that research on prosociality should prioritize underlying personality mechanisms rather than gender per se.