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

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