Scientists Identify Core Psychological Factor Behind Human Evil Traits

Researchers from universities in Germany and Denmark have uncovered a central psychological factor, termed "Factor D," that underlies the darkest human personality traits. While psychologists have long recognized the "dark triad" of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, a decade of research has expanded this to nine traits including egoism, sadism, amorality, psychological entitlement, self-interest, and arbitrariness. Factor D represents a general tendency toward antisocial behavior and is considered the root cause behind these varied negative traits.

Dr. Ingo Zettler of the University of Copenhagen explains that individuals with a high Factor D score are much more likely to exhibit one or more of these dark traits. Unlike other personality traits that fluctuate with age, Factor D remains remarkably stable over time. A study involving 8,000 participants found that those with high Factor D scores tend to avoid social professions requiring empathy, such as teaching, nursing, or caregiving.

Further research published in 2025 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) revealed that Factor D also has a social dimension: societies with toxic social conditions tend to have higher collective Factor D scores, indicating that environment influences the degree of "darkness" individuals adopt. Understanding Factor D could transform how psychologists and law enforcement assess risk, particularly for violent recidivism, corruption, and fraud in public and private sectors.

Dr. Zettler emphasized that knowing a person's Factor D score could be a powerful tool to predict and potentially curb harmful behaviors. To facilitate this, researchers have launched an online portal where individuals can measure their own Factor D score through a personal questionnaire. Ongoing studies aim to map how this core "dark nucleus" affects human behavior and society at large.