MICROGEN IMAGES / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
Are people inherently good or inherently evil?
That is, there is no one-size-fits-all template for the traits of all humankind.
Those traits are known as the Dark Triad.
MICROGEN IMAGES / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
The dark triad is composed ofnarcissism, subclinical psychopathy, andMachiavellianism.
Individuals manifesting the dark triad personality typehave been associated with tendencies toward violence and criminal activity.
Even when they dont slip to those extremes, the trio usually spells self-serving,manipulative, andlow-empathy behavior.
What Are Dark Traits?
Dark traits are those generally associated with negative human behaviors.
In non-clinical terms, dark traits are the personality types exhibited by people who are generally deemed antisocial.
Below, we’ll go through the specific traits that are indicative of the dark triad.
Often people will point to individuals who exhibit selfish behavior and call them narcissists.
If this were the case we would all be narcissists at times.
However, the clinical definition of narcissism goes a bit further.
Narcissism is a concern with ones self to the extreme.
Trait Two: Subclinical Psychopathy
To understand what subclinical psychopathy is, first you oughta understand psychopathy.
Atrue psychopathis someone who exhibits antisocial behaviors.
Namely, they show a lack of empathy or remorse and typically have dampened impulse control.
Subclinical psychopathy and psychopathy may be closer than you think.
Some psychologists even suggestthat there isn’t actually a qualitative difference between the two.
That is, the behaviors of a psychopath and a subclinical psychopath are the same.
The difference is instead quantitative.
Those who exhibit Machiavellianism are highly manipulative.
Societally, they are often viewed as adept liars, however, their deception often runs much deeper.
On a personal level, recognizing someone as having a dark triad personality can be exceedingly difficult.
What Is the Light Triad?
There is a yin to its yang, however.
The light triad personality, proposed even more recently,is the opposite of the dark triad.
These personality types are inherentlyconcerned with other people.
Kantianism isthe belief that other people are ends themselves, not means to justify ends.
This personality trait loves others and works to benefit them instead of only making choices that benefit themselves.
Humanism isthe value of the worth of people.
And faith in humanity isthe belief that people are inherently good and will do good unto others.
Emmons RA.Narcissism: Theory and Measurement.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Thomas J.C., Segal D.L., Lebreton J., Binning J., Adorno A.Subclinical Psychopaths.Vol 1.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2006.
Moon TH, Geis FL.Machiavellianism and Deception.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Kaufman SB, Yaden DB, Hyde E, Tsukayama E.The Light vs.
Dark Triad of Personality: Contrasting Two Very Different Profiles of Human Nature.Frontiers in Psychology.
2020;37(7):21362144.
