Dark Tetrad Test

Dark Personality Online Test

How dark is your personality?

Some people are more prone to aggression, manipulation, and destructive behavior than others. Scientists refer to these traits as the "dark side" of personality.

Current research has focused on the Dark Tetrad, which covers Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Sadism.

Narcissism is an excessive preoccupation with one's own image and status. People who score high often appear charming at first but tend to struggle with close relationships over time.

Machiavellianism is a tendency to be manipulative and deceitful. It often stems from distrust of others and a cynical view of human motives.

Sadism is the tendency to enjoy causing, or simply observing, others' suffering. A sadistic person humiliates others, shows a long-standing pattern of cruel or demeaning behavior, or intentionally inflicts physical, sexual, or psychological pain — to assert power and dominance or simply for pleasure.

Psychopathy reflects shallow emotional responses. The relative lack of emotion produces high stress tolerance, low empathy, and little guilt — all of which drive a need for stimulating activities and lead to impulsivity and interpersonal conflict.

People with high scores often get what they want and become leaders, but at the same time, research also shows that high scores can increase the likelihood of leadership failure.

References

Paulhus, D. L., Buckels, E. E., Trapnell, P. D., Jones, D. N. Screening for dark personalities: The Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) European Journal of Psychological Assessment, July 2020