Cited by 519Personality Traits and PsychologyPsychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingEmotions and Moral Behavior

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The dark core of personality

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Moshagen, Morten, Hilbig, Benjamin E., Zettler, Ingo·2018·Psychological Review

DOI 10.1037/rev0000111

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Abstract

> 2,500), we provide evidence in support of the theoretical conceptualization of D, show that dark traits can be understood as specific manifestations of D, demonstrate that D predicts a multitude of criteria in the realm of ethically, morally, and socially questionable behavior, and illustrate that D does not depend on any particular indicator variable included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

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“…self-interest for the social good is widely considered to be fundamental to morality and quality of character (Greene, 2014; Curry et al., 2018; Moshagen et al., 2018), which can in turn 12 This assumption does imply that values of si very close to zero are highly improbable, but this seems…”
Background
Multiple antisocial personalities?
Schild, C., Ścigała, K. A., & Zettler, I. (2020) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1921692117 · Cited by 4
The Prospects and Challenges of Measuring MoralityPreprint
Sun, J., & Schwitzgebel, E. (2023) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/nhvz9 · Cited by 4
Item Response Theory Analysis of the Dark Factor of Personality Scale for College Students in China
Wang, X., Zhang, S., & Xin, T. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph191912787 · Cited by 3
“Dark traits, stable personality dispositions associated with ethically and socially aversive behaviors, have recently received more attention in personality psychology recently [1].”
BackgroundInfluential
On the relation between boredom and social behavior: A registered report
Müller-Boysen, T., Pirla, S., & Pfattheicher, S. (2025) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2025.104804 · Cited by 3
Impulsivity, psychopathy, and the dark triad: a Czech validation of the dirty dozen scale
Živná, K., Novák, L., Žídková, R., Helvich, J., Tavel, P., & Maliňáková, K. (2025) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-025-03371-y · Cited by 4
“This concept involves a general tendency to maximize one’s individual utility accompanied by beliefs that serve as jus-tifications for such behavior [9, 10].”
A Critical Review of the Short Dark Triad (SD3)
Latham, L., & Stephenson, Z. (2025) · Personality Science · doi:10.1177/27000710251388327 · Cited by 7
“While some recent work, such as the D Factor model (Moshagen et al., 2018), challenges the notion that antagonism is the core of the Dark Triad, a discussion of this is beyond the scope of the current review.”
The dispositional basis of deviance: A multivariate approach to crime and other deviant acts
Thielmann, I., Nielsen, Y. A., & van Gelder, J. (2026) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1177/08902070251411583 · Cited by 5
When artificial minds negotiate: Dark personality and the Ultimatum Game in large language models
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The hierarchies of good and evil personality traits
Jiao, L., Yan, X. U., Yi, T. I. A. N., Guo, Z. Y., & Zhao, J. (2022) · Acta Psychologica Sinica · doi:10.3724/sp.j.1041.2022.00850 · Cited by 3
“…德被视为是一种道德良好的人格特征， Peterson 和 Seligman(2004)基于以往的哲学著作和伦理类书籍，提出了美德的六个成分，这个标准具有跨文化的一致性(张昊天等, 2019)。并且还有大量的研究者采用理论取向或实证方法探究了美德的结构(e.g., Cawley et al., 2000; De Raad & Van Oudenhoven, 2011; Morales-Vives et al., 2014; Shryack et al., 2010; 沐守宽, 顾海根, 2010; 喻丰, 2014)。同时，道德人格同样具有其分类的结构(喻丰等,…”
Influential
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Craib, K., Patterson, S., Laborde, S., & Allen, M. S. (2024) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2024.112667 · Cited by 3
When the dark one negotiates: Sacrificing relations at the altar of money
Sekhar, S., & Uppal, N. (2024) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2024.112790 · Cited by 4
A Structural After Measurement Approach to Bifactor Predictive Models
Choi, J., Kwon, S., & Zhang, B. (2024) · Structural Equation Modeling A Multidisciplinary Journal · doi:10.1080/10705511.2024.2385951 · Cited by 3
“Many personality constructs also consist of a broad personality factor and narrow facets (Moshagen et al., 2018; Roberts et al., 2005).”
A partner in crime: Revisiting the dispositional basis of unethical loyalty
Seidl, A., Hilbig, B. E., & Thielmann, I. (2024) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1177/08902070241309392 · Cited by 3
“To measure basic personality traits, particularly Honesty-Humility, we used the 60-item version of the self-report HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (Lee & Ashton, 2004, 2006), the HEXACO-60 (Ashton & Lee, 2009).”
Influential
Light Triad traits of personality as moderators between the dark core of personality, psychopathy, and antisociality/criminality
Pechorro, P. S., Palma, V. H., Marôco, J. P., Simões, M. R., & DeLisi, M. (2025) · Psychiatry Psychology and Law · doi:10.1080/13218719.2024.2427627 · Cited by 3
“Also known as D, it is defined as the ‘ general tendency to maximize one ’ s individual utility – disregarding, accepting, or malevolently provoking disutility for others – accompanied by beliefs that serve as justifications ’ (Moshagen et al., 2018, p. 657).”
Nonresponse at three stages in personality research: Insights based on (Danish) register data of a representative potential participant pool
Einsiedler, J., Lilleholt, L., Mortensen, L. H., Schild, C., & Zettler, I. (2025) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1177/08902070251319818 · Cited by 3
“The D16 assesses the D Factor of Personality, the basic disposition “ to maximize one ’ s individual utility — disregarding, accepting, or malevolently provoking dis-utility for others — accompanied by beliefs that serve as justi ﬁ cations ” (Moshagen et al., 2018, p. 657).”
Dark Personality Traits and Situational Factors in Social Media Addiction: Insights From Turkish Users
Cohen, A. G., & Özsoy, E. (2025) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/00332941251329829 · Cited by 3
Are the Links Between Dark Traits of Personality and Violent Attitudes Mediated by a Propensity to Morally Disengage? An Exploratory Study
Pechorro, P. S., Nunes, K. L., Palma, V. H., Araujo, B. B., & DeLisi, M. (2025) · Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1080/10926771.2025.2506539 · Cited by 3
“This is also supported by Bandura’s (2002) social cognitive theory and the dark core proposition (Moshagen et al., 2018, 2020), which posits that people disengage morally as a coping mechanism when confronted with situations that violate their moral standards.”
Influential
Artificial Morality: Differences in Responses to Moral Choices by Human and Artificial Agents
Armbruster, D., Mandl, S., Zeiler, A., & Strobel, A. (2025) · International Journal of Social Robotics · doi:10.1007/s12369-025-01276-9 · Cited by 5
“Shared features of traits belonging to the Dark Triad (Paulhus and Williams 2002 ) or the dark core of personality (Moshagen et al. 2018) are behavioral tendencies for self-promotion and maximiz - ing one’s own interests while ignoring, accepting, or mali - ciously causing detriment to others…”
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Lämmle, L., & Ziegler, M. D. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18083941 · Cited by 3
“The initial study [8] as well as the present findings can serve as a foundation for further exploring when and why one’s own costs subjectively outweigh one’s own benefit for the dark core [10] and the unique variance of its traits.”
Background
The Facilitative Effect of Impulsiveness on the Dark Triad and Social Network Sites Addiction
Lee, S. L., Tan, Y. E., Tam, C. L., & Ahn, J. (2022) · International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction · doi:10.4018/ijthi.297612 · Cited by 4
Wisdom and Leadership
Rooney, D., & McKenna, B. J. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009085724.019 · Cited by 4
Psychometric properties of an Arabic Version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen Scale
Keshky, M. E. S. E. (2022) · Australian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1080/00049530.2022.2138543 · Cited by 5
“Studies by Moshagen et al. (2018) considered a large number of dark personality characteristics simultaneously and led the researchers to specify an uncategorised core set of negative ethical, moral and social traits that they labelled the “Dark Factor of Personality” or the “D-factor”.”
Background
Dominance Analysis of Bright and Dark Dispositional Predictors of Socially Desirable Responding
Miller, B. K., Kirby, E. G., & Stevens, K. (2024) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/00332941241226908 · Cited by 2
“These traits have, at their core, a certain utility for individuals that provokes disutility for others under the belief that disregarding, provoking, or accepting such disutility is justi ﬁ ed (Moshagen et al., 2018).”
The dark side of personality functioning: associations between antisocial cognitions, personality functioning (AMPD), empathy and mentalisation
Rabl, L., Maerz, J., Viviani, R., & Labek, K. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1377177 · Cited by 3
“Those beliefs are often manifested in a particular type of worldview, such as that the world is a dangerous place and every individual needs to look out for themselves (43, 53, 54).”
Background
Beneficial AGI: Care and Collaboration Are All You Need
Goertzel, Z. (2024) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-65572-2_9 · Cited by 3
Dark Triad Caregivers and Their Children
Lau, K. S. L., Le, J. U., & Martins, K. F. (2024) · Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment · doi:10.1007/s10862-024-10174-9 · Cited by 3
“While some traits appear to have a larger genetic contribution, the idea of the shared dark factor suggests that the caregiver manifestation of one dark trait does not necessarily mean the child will develop the same trait (Moshagen et al., 2018).”
Is It Fair to Kill One to Save Five? How Just World Beliefs Shape Sacrificial Moral Decision-making
Conway, P. J., Dawtry, R. J., Lam, J. K. H., & Gheorghiu, A. I. (2024) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/01461672241287815 · Cited by 4
“One explanation for this pattern is that BJW operates like a dark trait—reflecting a cynical, callous disregard for others (Moshagen, et al., 2018).”
Sadipathy – Conceptualization and Elucidation
Berger, R. (2019) · American Journal of Psychiatric Research and Reviews · doi:10.28933/ajprr-2019-06-1505 · Cited by 3
Aversive personality and COVID-19: A first review and meta-analysisPreprint
Ścigała, K. A., Schild, C., Lilleholt, L., Moshagen, M., Stückler, A., Zettler, I., & Pfattheicher, S. (2021) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/vg465 · Cited by 3

Authors: Moshagen, M., Hilbig, B. E., & Zettler, I.
Affiliations: Universität Ulm (DE)
University of Koblenz and Landau (DE)
University of Copenhagen (DK)
Corresponding author: Moshagen, Morten
ORCID: Moshagen, Morten
Hilbig, Benjamin E.
Zettler, Ingo
Venue: Psychological Review
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2018-10
Volume: 125
Issue: 5
Pages: 656-688
ISSN: 0033-295X (ISSN-L)
1939-1471
DOI: 10.1037/rev0000111
OpenAlex: W2854454445
Cited by: 519
References: 138
Citations by year: 2026: 77 · 2025: 83 · 2024: 72 · 2023: 67 · 2022: 67 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 6
FWCI: 44.72
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
researchprofiles.ku.dk
Licence: other-oa
Locations: Psychological Review (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
Funders: German Research Foundation (MO 2830/1-1, HI 1600/1-2; HI 1600/6-1, ZE 948/1-1)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
Keywords: dark personality traits, dark core, personality structure, unethical behavior
MeSH terms: Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Female, Humans, Machiavellianism, Male, Middle Aged, Narcissism, Personality, Young Adult

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