Be Careful If You Cross Paths With a Dark Tetrad Personality Type!
Everyone has people in their life who have done bad things. You may have witnessed someone being manipulated, or you may have been mistreated by someone yourself. You surely also know someone who acts selfishly and ignores the wants and needs of others. But there are people who actually enjoy the suffering and misfortune of others. Unfortunately, these shocking tendencies are not isolated cases, but rather point to dark personality traits. Over the years, psychologists have noticed patterns and narrowed down these human tendencies into four categories known as the dark tetrad, a further development of the dark triad. In this article we introduce you to seven signs of the dark tetrad.
First, let's clarify what the dark tetrad is
The dark tetrad is an evolution of the dark triad. Narcissism, Psychopathy and Machiavellianism. Sadism has since been added to this list as well. The concept was coined by Canadian psychologists Delroy Paulhus and Kevin Williams of the University of British Columbia in 2002. These four traits are believed to serve as the core of humanity's dark side. Each trait is thought to be interconnected, meaning someone showing one side of the tetrad is likely to be showing another as well. Together, they form a destructive and exploitative personality strategy. Each of the four characteristics differs in its respective motivation. Such dark behaviors can be rooted in narcissism, egocentrism, recklessness, arrogance, selfishness and a strong need for admiration. Psychopathy is a lack of empathy and regard for ethics. Machiavellianism refers to manipulativeness and an indifference to morality, rights and entitlements. The achievement of goals is the only priority. Sadism is about the desire to hurt others mentally, emotionally, and/or physically. Let's move on to the typical signs indicating that someone might belong in the dark tetrad.
1. They are unethical.
If someone shows little regard for others, puts themself first in every situation, and uses people to their own advantage, then it is also likely that they do not care much about right and wrong behavior. This person may lack a conscience, allowing them to manipulate, hurt, and put others down without feeling any shame. They simply don't care if and how much they hurt others. All that matters to them is what they get out of the situation.
2. They try to piss you off.
When a person with the dark tetrad doesn't get along, they can resort to evil tactics to get that person back. They are willing to do anything to harm the other out of revenge. Their selfishness, entitlement, and lack of ethics mean they don't even feel guilty about it.
3. They take pleasure in causing others pain.
A sadistic person takes pleasure in the suffering of others. Sadistic people may act in physically, verbally or emotionally abusive ways, either directly or indirectly. They resemble the manipulative category to a certain extent. But sadism is different in that the actor is fascinated by the gruesome act itself. Manipulation hurts others. The pain inflicted is a by-product of the manipulator to getting what they want. For sadism, the suffering itself is the reward. People with this trait enjoy hurting others for the sake of hurting them.
4. They think their behavior is justified.
Dark Tetrad individuals don't care if they hurt others. In fact, they feel that their actions are justified. Because of their selfish nature and lack of empathy, they believe it's okay to use others for their own end and to abuse their kindness. They don’t take responsibility or feel remorse for their actions because, deep down, they think they are right.
5. They exhibit extremely selfish behavior.
Someone with narcissistic tendencies always puts their own interest ahead of others. They don’t take into account how others feel and put whatever they think will benefit them the most first. It doesn't matter whether it's fame, prestige or wealth. They just want as much of it as possible and won’t share with anyone if they can help it.
6. They are manipulative.
Manipulative people use others as a means to an end. They don't care what the other person wants or feels and only care about the bottom line. They tend to act in a more calculated way than others and show no remorse for their harmful actions. To achieve their goals, they may resort to actions that cause others extreme psychological, emotional, or physical distress. As long as the desired result is achieved, almost any method of achieving it is on the table. They also often have the talent to manipulate others into not noticing anything for a long time.
7. They lack empathy.
A lack of empathy is a recurring theme in the tetrad. People with this personality type tend to have little regard for the feelings of others. They don't really care what another person is feeling and are not afraid to take advantage of them. A combination of low empathy and high self-centeredness makes them feel as though the rest of the world doesn't matter. Because of their selfish nature, they always put their own feelings ahead of others, no matter what the situation.
Today’s Conclusion:
The dark tetrad is a scary prospect for everyone involved. People with these traits may not be aware that they are different, or may even feel proud of their behavior. Either way, people who behave in this way create a stressful and toxic environment for those around them. Those who encounter such people should definitely get out of the situation, because these individuals will likely refuse to accept help and are often reluctant to own up to their behavior. This results in an eternal cycle which in turn only serves to harm others. The TOP test procedure, which was developed by the University of Hohenheim to identify destructive applicants as early as the application process, is now available for selecting suitable job candidates, as these people can cause considerable damage in companies too. What are your personal thoughts on the dark tetrad? Have you ever seen someone like that in your own life? That's it for today.