The Dark Triad is a phrase you’re unlikely to have heard around the workplace, but it is one of the “buzzwords” in the world of psychology. It refers to three distinct but related personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy.

If you describe someone as Machiavellian, you are critical of them because they often make clever and secret plans to achieve their aims and are not honest with people. A Machiavellian plot was suspected.

Why is it appropriate to call Machiavelli’s work political science? – The Prince is the breakdown of strategy of how to gain and rule a state. – Machiavelli explains the nuts and bolts of everything what he thinks a strong leader should do to rule effectively.

The first priority of a prince or ruler should be to better the people and to protect them. Machiavelli stated that ones duty, as a prince is to be as powerful as can be, but as a ruler the first priority should be the people, and as a prince, to be selfless, good, and wise.

Machiavellians may be the most intelligent of the dark personalities. In popular culture, “evil genius” characters—that is, someone who combines brilliance with malevolence—have had recurring popularity.

Now a new study casts a surprising look at psychopaths, finding that whatever qualities they might have, high intelligence is not one of them. In fact, psychopaths were found to be less intelligent than average people.

• 8 Personality Traits of Highly Intelligent People (Backed by Science)
• They’re highly adaptable.
• They understand how much they don’t know.
• They have insatiable curiosity.
• They’re open-minded.
• They like their own company.
• They have high self-control.
• They’re really funny.

Dante Zogratis

All three dark triad traits are conceptually distinct although empirical evidence shows them to be overlapping. They are associated with a callous-manipulative interpersonal style.

Perhaps most noteworthy of all, megalomaniacs are generally more concerned with superiority, while narcissists are more associated with feelings of excessive self-worth.

The Dark Triad is a personality inventory that explores the socially undesirable traits of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy. The Dark Triad test is often used by police and the courts, in psychiatric wards and evaluations, and even in big corporations.