A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Copenhagen has revealed a striking connection between dark personality traits and the societal environments in which individuals are raised.
Dark personality traits, commonly referred to as the dark triad, include psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism, all characterized by a tendency to exploit others.
The researchers, led by Ingo Zettler, Lau Lilleholt, Benjamin E. Hilbig, Morten Moshagen, and Martina Bader, focused on how various aversive social conditions (ASC) might shape these traits across different regions.
ASC encompasses a wide array of societal issues, such as exploitation, fraud, corruption, inequality, and violence, which have a significant impact on individuals’ personalities.
Ingo Zettler emphasized the importance of understanding how both genetic predisposition and socio-ecological factors influence personality, stating that previous research has largely overlooked ethically and socially aversive personality characteristics.
Published in 2025, the study spanned two decades and involved analysis of global correlations between living conditions and the prevalence of dark traits across 183 countries, with a total of 1,791,542 participants.
Focusing specifically on the United States, the researchers analyzed data across all 50 states, incorporating responses from 144,576 Americans, alongside Census data on socioeconomic disparity and poverty rates, as well as FBI homicide statistics and Justice Department corruption sentences.
Zettler explained, “The more adverse conditions in a society, the higher the level of the dark factor of personality among its citizens.”
This implies that individuals in societies with high levels of stressors and hardships may be more inclined to display traits associated with aggression, cheating, and exploitation, thus incurring significant social costs.
Urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco, with their densely populated and economically diverse populations, tend to exhibit heightened levels of dark personality traits, largely due to tensions surrounding quality of life and resource accessibility.
Conversely, rural states like Vermont, Utah, Maine, and Oregon, noted for their geographical isolation and economic balance, show lower instances of dark personalities, as concluded by the study’s findings.
Susan Krauss Whitbourne, writing in Psychology Today, reassured that growing up in an environment with high ASC does not irrevocably determine one’s moral character.
She noted that the findings suggest individuals may develop a propensity for high levels of dark traits as a reflection of their surroundings or due to personal experiences of economic hardship.
In light of the study’s conclusions, Zettler concluded, “Our findings substantiate that personality is not just something we are born with, but also shaped by the society we grew up and live in.”
The implications of these findings extend beyond individual personality assessments, indicating that reforms aimed at reducing corruption and inequality can foster not only immediate improvements in living conditions but potentially also a decrease in aversive personality traits within future generations.
Thus, addressing systemic issues within society could yield profound benefits, altering the character landscape of the populace over time.
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