Personality psychologists group six traits into two sets. The Dark Triad describes three self-serving, callous tendencies. The Light Triad describes three everyday ways of being good to people. Everyone has some of each; what differs is the balance.
Want your own scores first? Take the free Dark Triad test, which measures all six.
The Six Traits At A Glance
| Trait | Set | Core idea | One-line test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narcissism | Dark | “I am special and deserve admiration.” | Do you need others to see you as exceptional? |
| Machiavellianism | Dark | “People are pieces to be played.” | Do you plan how to use others? |
| Psychopathy | Dark | “Rules and feelings get in my way.” | Do you act on impulse without guilt? |
| Faith in humanity | Light | “Most people are basically good.” | Do you give people the benefit of the doubt? |
| Humanism | Light | “Everyone has dignity and worth.” | Do you value people regardless of status? |
| Kantianism | Light | “People are ends, not tools.” | Do you refuse to use people, even when it would help you? |
Where The Dark Triad Came From
In 2002, Delroy Paulhus and Kevin Williams at the University of British Columbia noticed that three traits studied separately kept turning up together. Narcissism came from clinical psychology, Machiavellianism from a 1970 study of manipulation by Richard Christie and Florence Geis, and psychopathy from criminology. All three share what researchers now call a “dark core”: putting your own interests first while ignoring the cost to others.
Later researchers added a fourth trait, everyday sadism, to form the “Dark Tetrad”. A 2018 study by Morten Moshagen, Benjamin Hilbig and Ingo Zettler went further and proposed a single “D factor” behind many dark traits.
Where The Light Triad Came From
In 2019, Scott Barry Kaufman and colleagues asked a different question: what does the opposite of the dark core look like in ordinary life? They proposed three traits that capture “a loving and beneficent orientation towards others”. Their key finding was encouraging. In their samples, most people scored higher on the Light Triad than the Dark Triad.
How The Traits Relate
The two sets are linked but are not simple mirror images.
- Narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy correlate moderately with each other. Machiavellianism and psychopathy overlap most.
- Light Triad traits correlate negatively with dark traits, but the link is far from perfect.
- A person can be fairly high on both, for example confident and admired yet also kind.
Dark Core
Self-interest at others’ expense, callousness and entitlement.
Light Core
Respect, trust and care for others, even when it is not rewarded.
Most People
Score in the middle on dark traits and above the middle on light traits.
What Each Trait Page Covers
Each trait has its own guide. The three dark traits each have pages on their signs, on how to deal with someone high in the trait and on how it shows up in relationships. The three light traits each have pages on their signs and on everyday examples you can practise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Dark Triad trait is the most harmful?
Research generally finds psychopathy the most strongly linked with aggression and antisocial behaviour, followed by Machiavellianism. Narcissism is the most socially accepted of the three.
Are Light Triad traits just the opposite of dark traits?
Not quite. They are negatively related, but someone can be low in dark traits without being especially high in light ones.
Is having dark traits a mental illness?
No. These are normal personality traits measured on a scale. Clinical conditions, such as narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder, need a professional assessment.
For education and self-reflection. Not a diagnostic tool. See how we build our tests.