The Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad
The dark triad refers to a combination three objectionable personality characteristics that often present in a single individual.
The dark tetrad consists of:
- Machiavellianism: Based on the theories of Machiavelli, the amoral perspective that any means are valid to achieve a goal.
- Narcissism: Concern only for oneself, disregarding the needs and esires of all others.
- Psychopathy: Egocentricity and antisocialness, lacking empathy and remorse, often with criminal tendencies.
tTo the other three members, the dark tetrad adds sadism, which is the enjoyment of cruelty and the derivation of pleasure or gratification by influcting physical pain or humiliation on another person, often sexually.
Because they can be relatively compelling and intelligent, people with these characteristics can be difficult to identify at first but also extremely dangerous and damaging.