Dec 10, 2020 07:00:00

Will those who use others and cling to power ultimately succeed?

Personality tendencies such as '

Machiavellianism ' that does not choose the means for the purpose, ' psychopathy ' that has non-sociality, and ' narcissism ' that has strong self-love are collectively called dark triads . Many people have a narcissistic personality tendency. Psychologists Craig Neumann and Scott Barry Kaufman argue that people with the Dark Triad are more likely to succeed socially.

Are people with dark personality traits more likely to succeed? | Psyche Ideas
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Extreme dark triads that meet the diagnostic criteria for personality disorder are found in 1-2% of the total population, and people with milder dark triad qualities are said to account for 10-20% of the total population. Even if the degree is moderate, dark triads tend to lie, tend to be discriminatory, and tend to be violent against others, which can cause confusion within groups such as companies and organizations. There is.

Psychologists have done a lot of research on the Dark Triad, and past research has shown that

psychopaths can be socially successful, or even more likely to be as powerful as psychopaths and narcissists. Is shown. On the other hand, those who are highly empathetic, praise the success of others, trust the fundamental good intentions of human beings, and respect the dignity of all, who have the 'bright characteristics' that can be said to be the opposite of the dark triad. It is also true that people gather around the area.

People in the Dark Triad don't care about the feelings of others and use them for themselves, so in the short term they may be able to take the lead faster than others. However, a 2015 study showed that people with a psychopathic nature earn more points in bargaining tasks that compete with their opponents, but not in bargaining tasks that involve cooperation. Also, even if we know that cooperating with each other will result in better results than not cooperating, it is called a prisoner's dilemma that we do not cooperate with each other in situations where those who do not cooperate benefit, but it falls under the dark triad. Experiments have also shown that people are more likely to fall into this dilemma.

If you replace this with the real world, people who fall under the dark triad in the corporate environment are considered to be charismatic and tend to stand out as leaders, but from the perspective of 'getting the job done' From the point of view, there is a tendency that team play is not possible and the goal is not achieved. In fact, studies that focus on politics, politicians corresponding to the dark triad although likely to win the election, that there is a tendency that can not be passed through the bill

is shown . The Dark Triad makes it easier for people to take actions such as theft and abuse of supervision, which is counterproductive in terms of work productivity. For this reason, the average income of those who fall under the Dark Triad will not exceed the average income of those who do not.

It has also been reported that people with the Dark Triad have a poor self-image, are unable to connect with others, and are not very satisfied with their lives. Therefore, even if they succeed, they are at high risk of suicide and violent death . In contrast, people with bright traits are reported to have a positive view of themselves, to connect with others and to lead a more satisfying life.

A 2020 study showed that being supportive and kind to others was associated with high levels of well-being, and researchers found that 'empathy' was an important factor in separating the bright trait from the dark triad. It states. Human beings prosper as a species centered on 'social connection' and are premised on 'cooperation' and 'relationship of trust'. As a result, if people in the Dark Triad benefit from cooperation and trust, they will eventually lose their social ties. Researchers say that while people with the Dark Triad stand out at first, they can't be very successful in the world of work or politics and are rarely happy with their lives.

On the other hand, it is said that 40% of the total population has both dark triad and bright traits. There is a view that such people are most likely to succeed, but because of the nature of the dark triad, they do not have a positive self-image and they are rarely satisfied with their lives.

However, studies have also shown that personality traits change with age. It has been found that people in their 30s and 40s are more likely to develop bright personality traits, which is believed to be due to psychological maturity. What is important here is the person's willingness to change. People in the extreme Dark Triad are reluctant to change themselves and stick to power, wealth, and control of others, but change by looking at the underlying social nature of humanity, 'connecting with others.' Researchers say that by asking, they can ultimately lead to a more rewarding path to life.