This Dark Triad Personality Test helps you visualize three personality traits gaining attention in psychology: Narcissism (self-love), Machiavellianism (manipulativeness), and Psychopathy (cold-bloodedness)—all assessed through 30 simple questions. By discovering the hidden aspects of yourself, even those you may not be aware of, you can deepen your self-understanding and gain insights into your strengths and challenges in relationships and work. Whether you're into psychology or just looking for a conversation starter on social media, this test offers both insight and entertainment. Take a moment to explore your own “dark side.”
The Dark Triad brings together three personality traits — narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. In their 2002 study, Paulhus and Williams examined them as related but distinct traits.
These are not three categories of people. Each trait varies in strength, and several can be present in the same person.
Answer questions about your usual thoughts and actions
Responses become one overall score
Read your level and its explanation
You receive one overall score, not separate scores or proportions for the three traits. Career information is for reference; it is not a measurement of job suitability.
Their differences become clearer when you consider what a person seeks and how they treat others.
Wanting recognition as someone special
A strong sense of superiority or specialness, with a desire for admiration and special treatment.
Putting your own reputation first and dismissing another person's opinion.
Influencing people to serve your goals
Prioritizing personal gain and calculating how to use relationships or information to achieve it.
Steering a conversation toward your own advantage rather than considering the other person's interests.
Acting on impulse with little concern for others
Low empathy and guilt, alongside impulsivity and a tendency to seek stimulation.
Acting without considering the hurt or future costs your actions could cause.
These examples illustrate the concepts. A single action is not enough to determine someone's personality.
These traits share a tendency to put personal interests ahead of consideration for others. Seeking admiration, strategically influencing people and acting impulsively are nevertheless different patterns.
Having confidence or planning toward a goal does not in itself indicate the Dark Triad. How someone treats other people matters.
This self-check concerns personality tendencies. It cannot diagnose a mental illness or personality disorder, or predict criminal behavior.
The test calculates a score from 0 to 100 and displays it as a percentage. The score falls within one of the five ranges below.
The percentage is this test's scoring format. It is not a probability of illness or a population percentile. Each link opens an example of that result level.
Your mood and self-perception can affect your answers. A high score does not mean “bad person,” and a low score does not guarantee trustworthiness.
Think about the people or circumstances that led you to choose a response. Use the result to reflect on your experiences, not to label other people.
Research measures include the 27-item Short Dark Triad (SD3) developed by Jones and Paulhus. This site's test has 30 questions and reports an overall score, so it should not be treated as the same instrument as the SD3.
The references below explain the concepts and a research measure. They do not validate this site's questions or scoring. This is a brief self-check for self-understanding, not a medical assessment.
Paulhus, D. L. & Williams, K. M. (2002)
Jones, D. N. & Paulhus, D. L. (2014)
