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The Sociopaths Among Us: How to Spot (and Avoid) a Dark Triad

Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

Have you ever had an abusive boss, a partner who gaslit you at every turn, or a friend who always seemed to bend the truth? You might have crossed paths with someone in the Dark Triad. On this episode of Office Hours, I’m diving into a topic that doesn’t create happiness but often destroys it: the Dark Triad personality constellation. These are the people with three characteristics: narcissism (it’s all about them), Machiavellianism (they’re willing to hurt you), and psychopathy (they feel little empathy or remorse when they do). Drawing on behavioral science research and evolutionary psychology, I explain what makes Dark Triads tick, how to recognize them before they hurt you, and why avoiding them is essential for your well-being. I also share what to look for instead—the Light Triad, people who trust others, believe in human dignity, and leave you feeling warm and uplifted in their presence. I discuss: • The core traits of the Dark Triad and how they drive destructive behavior • Which careers and environments attract dark triads and how to spot the red flags • How Machiavellianism shows up in politics (on both sides) • The science of emophilia and why people who fall in love too fast are Dark Triad targets • How Dark Triads thrive on social media (and the “first-date test” that can save you heartbreak) • The telltale behaviors that reveal a Dark Triad in work, love, and online • The defense tactic Dark Triads use when caught in a lie • What the Light Triad looks like • Audience Q&A on the connection between happiness and intelligence and how to comfort aging parents You can take my Dark Triad quiz today to find out where you fall https://www.arthurbrooks.com/quiz/dark-triad-personality-test We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!  — Where to find Arthur Brooks:  • Website: ⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠ • X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠ • Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠ • Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠ • YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠ • LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠ • Email: ⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠ — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (02:04) What is the Dark Triad personality type? (06:09) How to take the Dark Triad test (06:37) Why Dark Triads are more common than you think (11:03) How to identify Dark Triad types (15:24) The five things Dark Triads do in the workplace (20:00) The five traits of Dark Triads in romantic relationships (28:11) How the Dark Triad shows up in politics and activism (32:11) Why social media is the perfect place for Dark Triads (34:34) The nine red flags that reveal a Dark Triad (37:05) DARVO: The defense Dark Triads use when caught (38:38) The light triad: What to look for instead (40:12) What’s the difference between joy and happiness? (42:35) What’s the connection between intelligence and happiness?  (44:22) How do I comfort my ailing and aging parents about their imminent death? (46:30) Wrap up — Referenced: • Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html • How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/ • The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN • The Dark Triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656602005056 • The Prince: https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Niccolo-Machiavelli/dp/1503017826 • Take the Dark Triad Quiz: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/quiz/dark-triad-personality-test — Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠. Production provided by ⁠www.thebluewave.net⁠. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co