medtests.de · Dark personality traits

Dark Triad Test

This non-clinical self-check looks at the three trait families research calls the dark triad: Machiavellianism, grandiose narcissism, and emotional coldness with risk-taking. It's our own short check, not the SD3 or Dirty Dozen, and it's built for honest self-reflection, not for judging other people.

Dark Triad Self-Check

How accurately does the statement describe your typical attitude? Please do not fill this out for someone else.

15 questions~3 minanonymous, scored in your browsernot a diagnosis

What does this check measure?

Five statements per trait, rated by how accurately they describe your typical attitude. Machiavellianism: strategic influence, selective truth-telling, keeping your intentions hidden, working around rules. Narcissism: enjoying admiration, feeling exceptional, being driven by recognition, sensitivity to criticism that threatens your image. Coldness/risk: making hard decisions without lingering guilt, choosing excitement over safety, losing respect for weakness, impulsivity at other people's expense. Totals run from 15 to 75, with subscale scores.

What does the result mean?

Everyone lands somewhere on these dimensions, and moderate levels of strategic thinking or confidence are normal, sometimes useful. Elevated scores aren't a diagnosis and aren't an identity. They're a pattern worth reflecting on, mostly for what it costs your relationships and long-term trust. If you recognize the pattern and its costs, that awareness alone is uncommon, and something you can work with. And if you came here to test someone else: self-report instruments can't do that.

Source

Concepts from Paulhus & Williams 2002 (dark triad) and Jones & Paulhus 2014 (SD3); deliberately not an SD3 or Dirty Dozen reproduction. Our own non-clinical check.

Frequently asked questions

Is a high score a diagnosis?

No. The check is non-clinical and not a label. Elevated scores are a pattern to reflect on, mostly for what it costs relationships and long-term trust.

Can I use it to assess someone else?

No. Self-report instruments cannot do that. The check is for honest self-reflection, not for judging others.

Scoring: what your points mean

Score	Level	What it means
0-39	low	no clearly elevated pattern in this self-check.
40-54	medium	some elevated traits (orientation, not a validated cutoff).
55-75	high	clearly elevated range, a prompt for self-reflection.

Editorial orientation for this self-check. These ranges have no validated cutoffs and are not a diagnosis.

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Reviewed by our editorial team

Instrument, scientific basis, and limitations checked. Last updated July 2026. Independent, anonymous, not a diagnosis.

After the test

A dark personality traits result is a signal, not a verdict. Note what stood out and use it as a starting point for a conversation with a medical or mental-health professional.

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