What is the "black triad" of personality

In psychology, there is a concept called "the black triad". This infamous trio consists of personality traits that define what we would commonly call a "bad person".

The first of these villains is narcissism. Narcissists tend to focus on themselves, to fantasize with unlimited power and to need the admiration of others.

Then there is psychopathy, that is, the lack of empathy. This characteristic makes the person manipulative, unreliable and disinterested by the feelings of others.

The malevolent clan is completed by Machiavellianism. People with this strong behavior are characterized by cynical attitudes and adopt strategies whose sole purpose is to serve their own interests.

Together, these three traits encompbad an emotional coldness. Some studies have shown that high levels of the black triad are badociated with low levels of traits such as sympathy, honesty, and humility.

Now, a team of psychologists from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, has conducted a study that suggests that a fourth element should be included in this combo of evil.

A black tetrad

The experts define sadism as "a tendency to adopt a cruel, degrading or aggressive behavior in search of pleasure or domination". In everyday language, to be sadistic, is to love to cause suffering to others.

Several features of sadism overlap with those of the triad, but at the same time, according to the researchers, present unique aspects that make it worthy to study as an element that needs to be added to form a "tetrad" dark".

To reach this conclusion, psychologists applied a test of nine questions to 202 university students (54 men and 148 women) aged 17 to 26 years. These are the nine questions in the quiz, in which participants scored from 1 to 5 how much they agreed with these statements:

• 1. I made fun of people so that they know that I have control
• 2. I do not get tired of pushing people around me
• 3. That would hurt someone if it meant that I would be in control
• 4. When I make fun of someone, it's funny to see him get angry
• 5. Being mean to others can be exciting
• 6. It makes me happy to make fun of people in front of their friends
• 7. I'm excited to see people fighting
• 8. I think I hurt people who annoy me
• 9. I would not hurt anyone on purpose, even if that person does not like me

Student responses have led researchers to conclude that while sadism shares some of the characteristics of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, "it can not be reduced to other traits."

Dr. Minna Lyons, a researcher at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, who did not participate in this study, acknowledges that sadism is a trait in itself. "Sadism is interesting because it seems to be different from the black triad," said Lyons

BBC World.

"If a person has high scores in psychopathy, they do not necessarily like to cause pain to other people, so that seems to be a distinct personality trait."

For Lyon, it is important to study these behaviors in ordinary people, and not just among people diagnosed with a personality disorder, to see how these features mingle with other people. other behaviors.

In addition, he warns that these traits are part of the daily behavior of humans and that in some circumstances they may be beneficial. "It's normal that there are people who have a high score in sadism, that does not make them abnormal, even if someone has a high score, it does not make them bad." "says Lyons.

"(These traits) become problematic as they begin to disrupt life, or the person begins to lose control of themselves and begins to be harmful to others and to themselves," says the psychologist.

It also warns that this type of test is only a measurement tool and is not used as a diagnostic because many other factors need to be taken into account when evaluating the test. behavior of a person.