How to fight the Dark Triad: A new study on suppressing ugly character traits

You might believe that people can't change - but it's totally possible to reduce your ugliest personalikty traits.

A recent study led by SMU psychology professor Nathan Hudson suggests that engaging in activities to increase agreeableness can effectively reduce the negative personality traits collectively known as the "Dark Triad" — Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. 

Let's find out more!

Hiding the ugly traits

The study found that tasks like donating money to charity or engaging in conversations with strangers to learn about them helped decrease all three Dark Triad traits over four months, even among individuals initially desiring to enhance their dark traits. 

Surprisingly, these individuals also expressed a desire to become more agreeable. 

Hudson speculates that those high in Dark Triad traits may want to be kind but also view manipulation as an effective strategy for achieving their goals. 

Why is it helpful?

The study highlights that interventions targeting agreeableness could potentially mitigate dark traits, which have been linked to negative behaviors like academic cheating, criminal activity, and workplace issues. 

While previous research has shown that individuals can successfully change aspects of their personality, this study suggests that working on agreeableness can indirectly impact the Dark Triad traits, demonstrating a potential path for individuals seeking personal growth and transformation.
 

• Related news:
• research
• personality
• character
• 16 August 2023

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