Definition
A Dark personality is by definition as it’s name points out, a dark aspect of human behaviour.
This dark behaviour is focused on three specific traits commonly known as the Dark Triad, this triad includes Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Pyschopathy ( Paulhus & Williams, 2002).
Narcissism:
This disorder should be approached in different spectrums due to a slight difference on how it can affect people (Green, A. 2002). The negative aspect of it involves arrogant behaviour and lack of empathy. Narcissistic individuals seek admiration and convince themselves, that they deserve special treatment, this creates volatility and could result in violent and self-centered reactions (Narcissistic Personality Disorder, 2015).
Psychopathy:
The lack of conscience and empathy, makes the invidual suffer from manipulative and volatile personality. This disorder could induce to criminal activities, but is important to realize that these individuals are not always violent, most of them are not and prefer the use of manipulation to achieve their objectives ( Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2007).
Machiavellianism:
As refered in Psychology Today, “Machiavellianism refers to a personality type that does not choose to be, but simply is, a master manipulator.” This disorder makes honesty expendable and reduces people around them to inferior tools used to achieve a superior objective (What is a Machiavellian?, 2015).
References
Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams (2002) The Dark Triad of Personality. Journal of Research in personality, 36, 556 – 563.
Green, A. (2002) A Dual Conception of Narcissism: Possitive and Negative Organization Retrieved from: https://manhattanpsychoanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/readings/developmentaltheory/V.%20Csillag%20upload/5_Green_A_dual_conception_of_narcissism.pdf
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (2015) Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder
Scott O. Lilienfeld, Hal Arkowitz (2007, December 1) What “Psycopath” Means Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-psychopath-means/
What is a Machiavellian? ( 2015, September 8) Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/machiavellians-gulling-the-rubes/201509/what-is-machiavellian
