Aversive societal conditions explain differences in “dark” personality across countries and US states

I Ingo Zettler (Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen) L Lau Lilleholt (Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen) M Martina Bader (Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen) B Benjamin E. Hilbig (Department of Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau) M Morten Moshagen (Department of Psychology and Education, Ulm University)

Abstract

Humans differ in their levels of aversive (“dark”) personality traits such as egoism or psychopathy. Building upon theories suggesting that socioecological factors coshape the development of personality traits, it can be predicted that prior aversive societal conditions (ASC) (herein assessed via corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence) explain individuals’ levels of aversive personality (assessed via the Dark Factor of Personality, the common core underlying all aversive traits). Results considering individuals from 183 countries ( N = 1,791,542) and 50 US states ( N = 144,576) support the idea that ASC coshape individuals’ levels of aversive personality.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 20
Published May 20, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (5)

I

Ingo Zettler

Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen

L

Lau Lilleholt

Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen

M

Martina Bader

Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen

B

Benjamin E. Hilbig

Department of Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau

M

Morten Moshagen

Department of Psychology and Education, Ulm University