{"id":99560,"date":"2018-07-26T11:00:03","date_gmt":"2018-07-26T10:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=99560"},"modified":"2023-03-09T13:57:42","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T13:57:42","slug":"what-is-dark-triad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-dark-triad.htm","title":{"rendered":"What is the Dark Triad?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"what<\/a>

By: Matthias Ripp<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychologists use the term ‘the dark triad’ to describe three hostile personality traits<\/a>. People who have these traits use other people for their own gain.<\/p>\n

A word about personality traits and disorders<\/h2>\n

Psychological disorders and traits are not illnesses you can see under a microscope. <\/strong>They are terms created by mental health professionals to describe groups of people with behaviours that make them different from the current day ‘norm’.<\/p>\n

In fact psychological diagnoses<\/a> could be argued to be<\/strong>\u00a0as much sociological as psychological.<\/strong> For example, the traits that make someone a \u2018psychopath\u2019 in our society could have been seen as normal if one was a Viking a thousand years ago!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to recognise that we all, at some point in our life, experience dark thoughts and do unkind things.\u00a0We all have a shadow<\/a><\/span>. This does not mean you are on the dark triad, unless those behaviours are constant. So despite the current trend\u00a0 to label everyone we know, diagnosis is best left to a professional.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[In a mess because you were involved with someone you think has dark triad traits? Need help, and fast? Our sister site harleytherapy.com<\/span><\/a> can put you in touch with online therapists as soon as tomorrow. And you can book from anywhere in the world.]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What is the dark triad?<\/h2>\n

The three personality traits in the dark triad are narcissism<\/a>, machiavellianism<\/a>, and psychopathy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If we had to sum up each trait with one word it might be narcissism\/selfish, machiavellianism\/manipulative, psychopathy\/cruel.<\/p>\n

Narcissism<\/strong><\/a> leaves someone self-centred. They are vain and well-presented, and believe they are special and should be treated as such (grandiosity<\/a>). Attention hungry and self-obsessed, they lack empathy for others<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Machiavellianism<\/strong><\/a> means someone finds deceiving and manipulating others amusing. They mock morality as beneath them. And use things like flattery and lies to exploit those around them.<\/p>\n

\"what

By: Chris Yarzab<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Psychopathy<\/strong><\/a> leaves someone heartless, callous, and careless. They do not obey any normal social limits, and feel no remorse if they hurt others.<\/p>\n

Behaviours related to the dark triad<\/h2>\n

Again, just because someone exhibits one or some of these behaviours some of the time?<\/strong> It does NOT instantly make them a psychopath<\/a> or narcissist.<\/p>\n

The dark triad means someone is constantly an opportunist who is using others for their own ends.<\/em><\/p>\n

Behaviours related to the dark triad can include:<\/strong><\/p>\n