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The Conversation
The Conversation
Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London

Members of right-leaning parties prefer leaders with ‘dark triad’ personality traits

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How does someone’s personality relate to their choice of political party? It’s a fascinating question, and one that has interesting implications in the changing landscape of British politics right now. Would someone joining a party, for example, want to see their own personality traits reflected back at them via the party’s leader?

The question of personality becomes even more intriguing when it comes to traits that are generally seen as malign rather than benign – the so-called “dark triad”, for example. This group is made up of narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. While all three are distinct, these dark traits share features such as egotism and a willingness to lie and cheat to achieve a goal.

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