When we talk about the most malevolent tendencies of human beings, that "dark side" common to so many, we are referring to a terrible trio: psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism. Recent research has gone deeper, revealing a common core to all these traits, an entity that psychologists have called the “D factor.” What is it about? Let's see together calmly.
Journey to the dark side
The exploration of the darkest recesses of the human mind has always fascinated scientists and philosophers. Now, thanks to an innovative study conducted by German and Danish psychologists, this journey goes even further. Their research, published in the first draft already in 2018 and perfected in the following years, it highlighted the existence of a central factor, a true fulcrum of darkness in the human personality.
The 'D factor', o Dark Factor of Personality, is in turn the "spin off" of a theory that dates back to over a century ago, when the English psychologist Charles Spearman proposed the concept of 'G factor' to describe a kind of general intelligence. Over the course of four separate studies and involving more than 2.500 participants, researchers analyzed nine distinct dark personality traits: selfishness, Machiavellianism, moral disengagement, narcissism, psychological entitlement, psychopathy, sadism, self-interest, and malevolence.
The multifaceted nature of “evil”
The analysis revealed that although these dark traits are distinct, they all overlap to some extent, precisely because of the 'D factor'. In a person, the 'D factor' can manifest primarily as narcissism, psychopathy, or a combination of these and other dark traits. “With our mapping of the common denominator of various dark personality traits, we can simply see that a person has a high D-factor,” he explains Ingo Zettler, psychologist at the University of Copenhagen.
Not to limit themselves to theory, the research team created a online portal where you can measure your D factor through a questionnaire. This not only satisfies personal curiosity, but could also lead to new discoveries in psychology and therapy, improving our understanding of people's dark side and malicious actions.
A Future of Research and Intervention Possibilities
The implications of this discovery are vast. “We see applications, for example, in cases of extreme violence, or deceptive and fraudulent behavior in corporate or public sectors,” Zettler noted. Knowing a person's 'D factor' could prove to be a useful tool in assessing the likelihood of repeating harmful behaviour.
Dark side and D factor, next steps
The discovery of the 'D factor' opens new avenues for psychological research. Not only does it offer clearer insight into dark personality traits, it also opens up the possibility of more targeted interventions in the field of therapy and prevention of malicious behavior.
This study represents a significant step towards a deeper and more complex understanding of the human being as a whole: light and shadow included.
