Ego In Relationship To The Dark Triad Analysis

Ego in Relationship to the Dark Triad Decision making; the process of evaluating positives, negatives, and alternatives before selecting an option. To make impactful decisions, one must be able to forecast and weigh all outcomes intelligently, then make the best decision for the situation at hand. However, there is an obstacle, the ego. As defined by Sigmund Freud, ego, is the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and unconscious, distinguishes between reality, and contains ideas about personal identity. It has something of a metaphysical and personal importance that is crucial to decision making and critical thinking. Those who tend to struggle the most with relationships, decision making, and critical thinking, are those who
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They are viewed as socially callous or cruel facets of the human personality. Narcissism is characterized as, “a sense of self-importance, exhibitionism, entitlement, and interpersonal exploitation.” (Lee, et al. 169-170). Additionally it has been observed that Narcissism can be “the self image of individuals who exaggerate their achievements, disregard the feelings of others, expect to have their desires met, often behave in ways that demand attention, use others for their own gain, believe themselves to be unique, and are highly interested in self-enhancement.” (Grafeman et al. 92). Those who have narcissistic tendencies tend to appear as though they are warm, charismatic, or even charming, as part of their initial relationships, but lack the empathy to sustain any type of relationship past a given point. For people with higher levels of narcissism, there is a strong desire to maintain a positive concept of self, and will often engage in ego-boosting activities to prove their worth. According to Grafeman et al., it is “this constant pursuit of proving one’s competency to the self and others that is thought to frequently contribute to relational problems” (92). With the insistence of misinterpretation in communication, there is an increased likelihood that individuals will also
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According to Lau and Marsee, those with this trait “lack affect, lack concern with conventional morality, and focus on realistic and attainable goals. Perhaps the phrase that best captures individuals with Machiavellian traits is ‘the ends justify the means’.” (356). There is a strong correlation in adolescents to goal-oriented decision making and aggressive behavior as an influential tool. However, it is all very much subversive, as the indicators are generally hidden in a fashion that is innocuous. Those who have experience with this attribute tend to be those who were bullied, were a bully, previously held, or are currently holding positions of power over others. “Individuals with Machiavellian traits are just as likely to engage in antisocial behavior as individuals high in callous-unemotional traits and narcissistic traits, but their behavior is less impulsive and more dependent on the situation, involving more strategy and the use of less severe and more covert methods.” (Lau and Marsee