The dark triad consists of three personality dimensions:
- Narcissism (heightened sense of self-importance)
- Machiavellianism (manipulativeness)
- Psychopathy (low empathy)
These traits are often quantified by a quick scoring tool called the
dirty dozen:
- I tend to manipulate others to get my way.
- I tend to lack remorse.
- I tend to want others to admire me.
- I tend to be unconcerned with the morality of my actions.
- I have used deceit or lied to get my way.
- I tend to be callous or insensitive.
- I have used flattery to get my way.
- I tend to seek prestige or status.
- I tend to be cynical.
- I tend to exploit others toward my own end.
- I tend to expect special favors from others.
- I want others to pay attention to me.
In a study by Cartera et al. (2014), 128 women were presented with male characters of varying degrees of dark triad personality.
Physicality was held constant. Men with dark traits were rated as dramatically more attractive to women compared to control characters who lacked these traits (with >99.9% statistical certainty, p < 0.001). Furthermore,
the attractiveness of these dark traits was not explained by other characteristics like extroversion.
Discussion:
This suggests personality does matter to women, but not in the manner popularly claimed. Contrary to the popular claim that women prefer nice men,
they are actually the most sexually attracted to narcissistic, manipulative, and psychopathic men.
Evolutionary psychology can possibly explain this phenomenon. Women evolved to be dependent and choosy by virtue of having infants. This caused men to evolve to be taller and stronger in an evolutionary arms race competing for mating opportunities. In response to this, women are thought to have evolved to choose the strongest and most dominant man available in order to be protected from coercive and stronger contenders (bodyguard hypothesis; Wilson & Mesnick, 1997) and to get access to high quality foods and resources (Geary 2004). This dominance-vs-submission dynamic in human sexuality can be traced back to some of our oldest ancestor species, e.g. lizards in which female animals submit themselves to dominant males (Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1989). Dark traits such as low empathy and cruelty may have proven useful in male intrasexual competition (Kruger & Fitzgerald 2011), so these traits and women's attraction to them might have co-evolved as a socially parasitic reproductive strategy (Gervais 2018).
Dark behavior patterns may additionally serve as honest/hard-to-fake signals of high status as only high status men can get away behaving in anti-social manner. Status in this case is not only determined by aggression and intimidation, but also by income, looks, competence etc. Men may also have been selected to mimic such dominance signals (Puts 2015). The fact that not all men exhibit dark traits indicates that men have evolved diverse strategies of status ascension (prestige vs dominance strategy; Kruger 2015, Gervais 2018).
The sensitivity of this topic could even cause women to
downplay their attraction dark traits because it contradicts laws and norms against violence as well as feminist ideals that women should be the equal of men rather than submitting to them. Women may thus be even more attracted to such men than they admit (social desirability bias). Women's preferences for psychopathic men are possibly related to rape fantasies. After all, it requires low empathy to rape someone.
Data:
| Mean | SD | |
|---|
| Condition | Attractiveness | |
|---|
| High DT | 4.44 | 1.17 |
| Low DT | 3.34 | 1.17 |
| Cohen's d = 0.94 | | |
Quotes:
- From Seffrin (2016): Men who show a willingness to take risks, have a high self-esteem, and a body that is physically imposing possess qualities that women may find desirable, but these qualities are also correlated with aggressive behavior (Apicella, 2014; Baumeister, Smart, & Boden, 1996; Brewer & Howarth, 2012; Frederick & Haselton, 2007; Sellet al., 2009). […] Men who would use physical violence to gain a competitive advantage may possess other qualities that are sexually appealing to women […]. This much has been suggested in research by Rebellon and Manasse (2004) who found that highly delinquent males report relative success in attracting female dating partners. Rebellon and Manasse (2004) interpret these findings using a derivative of sexual selection theory known as the “handicap principle” (Zahavi, 1975). The handicap principle suggests that behaviors that are potentially costly to males—such as fighting and showing disregard for authority, but which are valued by females, perhaps for the strength and bravado they symbolize—will be implemented as tactics in male sexual competition (see also Palmer & Tilley, 1995). Research on sexual selection theory also suggests that a preference for these qualities may have itself been selected for in females (Puts, 2010). This would help to explain why men have a penchant for violent behavior in the first place, in the sense that male aggression, and a preference for it among females, were selected for in the course of human prehistory. Partnering with an aggressive and/or criminally involved male may have its advantages, especially in an unsafe environment where threats of violence are commonplace. Yet displays of dominance and physical aggression play just as well to an all male audience, who serve as a source of encouragement and validation, thereby reinforcing the behavior as well as its symbolic value in the peer culture (Messerschmidt, 1993).
- Psychopathic traits (lack of morality; interpersonal hostility) are beneficial to a short-term strategy and are correlated with unrestricted pattern of sexual behaviour. (Cartera, 2014
incels.wiki
so they don't come here spreading their "personal experience" bullshit.
