A klasszikus nézet szerint a machiavellista személyek érzelmileg nem vagy kevésbé vonódnak be egy helyzetbe. Interperszonális kapcsolataikat a melegség hiánya jellemzi, kerülik mások szoros közelségét. A rájuk váró feladat kognitív aspektusára koncentrálnak, tehát egy helyzet értékelése és pontos megértése vezérli őket. Affektív távolságtartásuk következtében érzelmileg megterhelő helyzetekben is képesek hideg fejjel és logikusan gondolkodni.
A kérdés az, hogy a machiavellisták érzelmi távolságtartása mögött az érzelmek megélésének hiánya áll-e, vagy a kialakuló érzelmeiket erősen kontroll alatt tartják? Kísérletünkben a résztvevők agym7ködését mértük érzelmeket előhívó feladat végrehajtása közben, ami egyúttal megkövetelte a helyzet eltérő nézőpontokból való értelmezését, a rugalmas váltás képességét is. Az eltérő (és átváltást igénylő) helyzetek egyben eltérő érzelmi állapotokat is jelentettek.
Az érzelmi átkeretezési feladat során agyi aktivációt találtunk a machiavellisták hippokampuszában, az inzulában, a hátulsó cinguláris tekervény és a cuneus területén. A machiavellistákra jellemző agyi aktiváció többsége (hippokampusz, cuneus) kognitív funkciókat ellátó területeken jelentkezik. Ezek részt vesznek a figyelmi, emlékezeti folyamatok végrehajtásában, a nem releváns információk gátlásában. Ugyanakkor az érzelemszabályozás agyi folyamatai is megjelennek, melyet az inzula és a hátulsó cinguláris kéreg területeinek aktivációja bizonyít.
Ezek az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy valóban jellemző rájuk egy érzelmi távolságtartás, ugyanakkor intenzív érzelmeket élnek át, amely befolyásolhatja a döntéshozatali folyamataikat.
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