Table of Contents

The Dark Triad of Personality is a group of three personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. These traits are often associated with negative outcomes, such as aggression, deception, and exploitation.

History of the Dark Triad

The Dark Triad was first conceptualized by Paulhus and Williams in 2002. They proposed that these three traits are distinct from each other, but they also share some common malevolent features. Each of these traits operates on a continuum, with some people scoring high on all three traits, while others score low on all three traits.

Characteristics of the Dark Triad

Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. Narcissists often believe that they are superior to others and that they deserve special treatment. They may be boastful, arrogant, and demanding.
Machiavellianism is characterized by a manipulative and cynical view of the world. Machiavellians are skilled at deception and manipulation, and they often use these skills to achieve their own goals. They may be ruthless, cunning, and exploitative.
Psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy, remorse, and guilt. Psychopaths may be charming and superficially charming, but they lack genuine concern for others. They may be impulsive, reckless, and violent.

Other related terms

Antisocial personality disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others. People with antisocial personality disorder may be aggressive, deceitful, and impulsive.
Borderline personality disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, and impulsive and self-destructive behaviors. People with borderline personality disorder may be emotionally unstable, needy, and demanding.
Histrionic personality disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior. People with histrionic personality disorder may be dramatic, shallow, and self-centered.

Sources

Paulhus, D. L., & Williams, K. M. (2002). The dark triad of personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 556-563.
Miller, J. D., Lynam, D. R., & Lynam, M. R. (2017). The Dark Triad of personality: A meta-analytic review of common and discriminant validity. Psychological Assessment, 29, 176-196.
Jonason, P. K., & Webster, G. D. (2010). The Dark Triad: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. In The handbook of personality and individual differences (pp. 497-510). Guilford Press.
Patrick, C. J. (2006). Understanding the Dark Triad: Three faces of evil. Guilford Press.

dark triad test

1. It’s not wise to tell your secrets.

2. People see me as a natural leader.

3. I like to get revenge on authorities.

4. I like to use clever to get my way.

5. I hate being the of .

6. I avoid dangerous situations.

7. Whatever it takes‚ you must get the important people on your side.

8. Many activities tend to be dull without me.

9. Payback to be quick and nasty.

10.Avoid direct with others because they may be useful in the future.

11.I know that I am special because everyone keeps telling me so.

12.People often say I’m out of control.

13.It’s wise to keep track of information that you can use against people later.

14.I like to get acquainted with important people.

15.It’s true that I can be mean to others.

16.You should wait for the right time to get back at people.

17.I feel embarrassed if someone compliments me.

18.People who mess with me always regret it.

19.There are things you should hide from other people because they don’t need to know.

20.I have been compared to famous people.

21.I have never gotten into trouble with the law.

22.Make sure your plans benefit you‚ not others.

23.I am an average person.

24.I enjoy ha‎ving sex with people I hardly know

25.Most people can be manipulated.

26.I insist on getting the respect I deserve.

27.I’ll say anything to get what I want.

Original 41-Item Set

Machiavellianism items

1. It’s not wise to tell your secrets. (Reputation)

2. Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean lives. ()

3. Generally speaking‚ people won’t work hard unless they have to. ()

4. There’s a sucker born every minute. ()

5. Most people are basically good and kind.* (reversal) ()

6. It’s better to be totally honest than to be successful. (reversal) ()

7. Whatever it takes‚ you must get the important people on your side (Coalition Building)

8. Avoid direct with others because they may be useful in the future. (Coalition Building)

9. It’s wise to keep track of information that you can use against people later. (Planning)

10.There are things you should hide from other people to preserve your reputation. (Reputation)

11.You should wait for the right time to get back at people. (Planning)

12.Make sure your plans benefit you‚ not others. (Planning)

13.Most people deserve respect. (reversal) ()

Narcissism items

1. People see me as a natural leader. ()

2. I hate being the of . (reversal) ()

3. I am an average person. (reversal) ()

4. I get bored hanging around with ordinary people. ()

5. Many activities tend to be dull without me. ()

6. I know that I am special because everyone keeps telling me so. ()

7. People often think my stories are boring. (reversal) ()

8. Those with talent and good looks should not hide them. ()

9. I like to get acquainted with important people. (Entitlement)

10.I feel embarrassed if someone compliments me. (reversal) ()

11.I insist on getting the respect that I deserve. (Entitlement)

12.I have been compared to famous people. ()

13.I am likely to show off if I get the chance. ()

Psychopathy items

1. I like to get revenge on authorities. ( )

2. I avoid dangerous situations. (reversal) (Erratic )

3. I am a thrill seeker. (Erratic )

4. Payback to be quick and nasty. (Callous Affect)

5. People often say I’m out of control. (Erratic )

6. My family is proud of everything I do. (reversal) ( )

7. You have to grab things while the opportunity is there. (Short-Term )

8. It’s true that I can be nasty. (Callous Affect)

9. I get angry if someone turns down ha‎ving sex with me. (Short-Term )

10.I hate movies where they show blood and guts. (Callous Affect)

11.People who mess with me always regret it. ( )

12.I have never gotten into trouble with the law. (reversal) ( )

13.I’ll say anything to get what I want. (Short-Term )

14.I’m always feeling guilty. (reversal) (Callous Affect)

15.I like to pick on losers.

Machiavellianism (alpha .78)‚
Narcissism (alpha .77)‚
Psychopathy (alpha .80)

1- Strongly Disagree‚
2-Disagree‚
3- Neither Agree nor Disagree‚
4- Agree Strongly‚
5-Agree

Machiavellianism subscale (1‚ 4‚ 7‚ 10‚ 13‚ 16‚ 19‚ 22‚ and 25)

Narcissism subscale (2‚ 5R‚ 8‚ 11‚ 14‚ 17R‚ 20‚ 23R and 26)

Psychopathy subscale (3‚ 6R‚ 9‚ 12‚ 15‚ 18‚ 21R‚ 24 and 27)

Paulhus‚ D. L.‚ & Williams‚ K. M. (2002). The dark triad of personality: Narcissism‚ Machiavellianism‚ and psychopathy. Journal of Research in Personality‚ 36‚ 556–563.

Paulhus‚ D. L.‚ & Jones‚ D. N. (2011). Introducing a short measure of the Dark Triad. Poster presented at the meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology‚ San Antonio.

Jones‚ D. N.‚ & Paulhus‚ D. L. (2011). The role of impulsivity in the Dark Triad of personality.Personality and Individual Differences‚ 51‚ 679–682.

Furnham‚ A.; S. C. Rich‎ards & D. L. Paulhus (2013)‚ “The Dark Triad of Personality: A 10 Year Review”‚ Social and Personality Psychology Compass‚7(3): 199-216.

Paulhus‚ D. L. (2013). Dark Triad of Personality (D3-Short). Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Science. Retrieved from www.midss.ie

Jones‚ D. N.‚ & Paulhus‚ D. L. (2014). Introducing the Short Dark Triad (SD3): A brief measure of dark personality traits. Assessment.‚ 21(1); 28–41