The Dark Tetrad, also known as the Dark Quad, is a set of interrelated negative personality features: narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism. The term is an expansion of the idea of the Dark Triad construct, which does not include sadism. In the last decade, researchers have noted a correlation of sadism with Dark Triad traits, with the result of the Dark Tetrad. The concept was coined by Erin Buckles, Daniel Jones, and Delroy L. Paulhus in 2013. Paulhus is also the originator of the Dark Triad construct.
People with Dark Tetrad traits score high on measures of the following:
Narcissism: A belief that one is special, particularly gifted, obsessed with themselves and that they are superior to others.
Machiavellianism: A tendency to see people as a means to achieve one’s own goals.
Psychopathy: A condition characterized by a lack of affective empathy and the willingness to exploit others.
Sadism: The tendency to derive pleasure from the pain or humiliation of others.
Those with high Dark Tetrad personality scores tend to be malicious, exploitative, ruthless, and mean. They typically hold themselves in high esteem and do whatever it takes to get what they want. Dark Tetrad personalities score low on traits of emotionality, honesty, humility, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. Men score higher than women in measures of each of the Dark Tetrad traits.
Dark Tetrad is a confluence of personality traits. Three of the four elements of the Dark Tetrad do have correlates in the DSM, however. High levels of psychopathy most closely resemble antisocial personality disorder, and high levels of sadism are a prerequisite for sexual sadism disorder. Pathological levels of narcissism may translate to narcissistic personality disorder.
Individuals may score highly in each of these traits on their own, without the others. A narcissistic person does not have to be a sadistic person, and a psychopath may not be Machiavellian. But researchers have found that among the many personality traits, these four appear alongside each other more often than would be expected if these constructs were not related. The common underlying feature, evident in each of these four “dark” constructs, is the tendency to see others as a means to achieve one’s own ends.
Machiavellianism is a personality trait that describes individuals who unscrupulously use strategy and manipulation to get what they want. The term derives from political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote The Prince in 1532.