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“Asshole” is not a term I use clinically/scientifically, but people use it commonly because it provides a shared understanding of something you “know when you see it.” So my goal here is to clearly categorize a pattern that you probably intuitively recognize, in a way that’s more insightful.
Clinically, there are three distinct types of socially aversive personalities, known as the “Dark Triad”: psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. These traits are dimensional in a sense that all of us fall somewhere on the spectrum, but only those who are very high in the trait can be considered diagnosable with a full-blown personality disorder. If you’re curious, you can take the online Short Dark Triad personality test to see at what percentile you exhibit these three traits, compared to the general population.
The key to understanding the Dark Triad is that while all three share a callousness toward others that encourages manipulativeness, they do so for distinct reasons. Psychopaths are driven by short-term tangible rewards, and engage in reckless, antisocial behavior to get it. Machiavellians are fueled by long-term tangible rewards and will strategize schemes to get them. Narcissists are motivated by whatever boosts their ego, whether tangible rewards or simple praise that validates their idealized self-image.
Via David Hain
