Dark Triad – Your Journey to Healing Starts Here

Raising a false alarm

Raising a false alarm means reporting an emergency or danger that is not actually happening or exaggerating the severity of a situation beyond what is accurate or reasonable. This can cause unnecessary panic, disrupt the normal functioning of emergency services, and potentially waste resources that could be better used elsewhere.

Examples of raising a false alarm include falsely reporting a fire, falsely reporting a crime, or exaggerating the symptoms of an illness. Doing so can result in legal consequences, such as fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the situation.

It is important to only report emergencies or dangerous situations that are actually happening, and to do so accurately and with as much detail as possible to assist emergency services in responding appropriately. If you are unsure whether a situation is an emergency or not, it is best to err on the side of caution and report it to the appropriate authorities for assessment.

Q & A – What is Malicious Parent syndrome?

Malicious Parent Syndrome (MPS) is a term used to describe a pattern of behavior exhibited by a parent, usually during or after a contentious divorce or child custody battle, who uses their child as a weapon to hurt the other parent. MPS is not a recognized psychiatric disorder, but rather a behavior pattern that can be seen in individuals who exhibit high levels of anger, vindictiveness, and a desire for revenge.

Parents with MPS may attempt to turn their child against the other parent, engage in parental alienation, or use their child to gather information about the other parent. They may also interfere with the other parent’s court-ordered visitation, deny access to the child, or make false accusations of abuse or neglect.

MPS can have a serious negative impact on the child’s well-being, as it can cause emotional distress, confusion, and feelings of guilt and loyalty conflict. It is important for parents and professionals involved in custody and visitation disputes to be aware of the potential for MPS and take steps to prevent it from occurring.

©Linda Turner http://parentalalienationpas.com 2023

Internet trolling psychology

Internet trolling refers to the act of posting inflammatory, offensive, or off-topic messages in online forums or social media platforms with the intention of provoking others or disrupting conversation. From a psychological perspective, internet trolling can be seen as a form of antisocial behavior or cyberbullying.

Trolls may engage in this behavior for a variety of reasons, such as seeking attention or validation, expressing frustration or anger, or simply finding pleasure in causing others to react. However, trolling can have serious negative consequences for both the individuals who are targeted and for the online community as a whole.

For individuals who are targeted by trolls, the experience can be emotionally distressing and lead to feelings of anxiety, anger, or helplessness. In some cases, it can even lead to symptoms of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For the online community as a whole, trolling can create a toxic atmosphere of negativity, hostility, and divisiveness, which can discourage open and productive dialogue and undermine the value of online discourse.

Addressing internet trolling requires a multifaceted approach, including education, prevention, and intervention. Online platforms can take steps to prevent trolling by implementing policies and tools to discourage and penalize this behavior. Individuals can also take steps to protect themselves by avoiding engagement with trolls and reporting abusive behavior to the appropriate authorities.

Overall, addressing internet trolling requires a commitment from individuals, online communities, and society as a whole to promote respectful and constructive online communication and to hold those who engage in trolling accountable for their behavior.

Q & A – Fake Facebook profiles catfishing

Fake Facebook profiles, also known as catfishing, can have serious psychological consequences for both the person creating the fake profile and the individuals they are interacting with.

For the person creating the fake profile, it may stem from a desire to escape their own identity or to create a sense of power or control over others. This behavior can become addictive, leading to compulsive lying and a lack of trust in relationships.

For the individuals who are interacting with the fake profile, it can be incredibly damaging to their mental health and emotional wellbeing. They may feel deceived, betrayed, or violated, leading to feelings of anger, frustration, or helplessness. In some cases, victims may even experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In addition to the emotional toll, fake Facebook profiles can also have legal consequences. Creating a fake profile with the intention of deceiving or defrauding others can be considered a form of identity theft and can result in criminal charges.

If you suspect that you are interacting with a fake Facebook profile, it’s important to protect your privacy and safety by limiting the personal information you share online. It’s also important to report the fake profile to Facebook and consider seeking support from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional to help you process your emotions and cope with any negative effects. If you suspect that you may have created a fake profile, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional to address any underlying issues and develop healthier coping strategies.

©Linda Turner http://parentalalienationpas.com 2023

Q & A – The PA is trying to damage my reputation through social media

Character assassination refers to the intentional and malicious attempt to damage or destroy a person’s reputation or credibility by spreading false or misleading information about them. This can have serious consequences, both for the individual’s personal and professional life and for their mental health.

From a psychological perspective, character assassination can be seen as a form of emotional abuse or bullying. It can lead to feelings of shame, humiliation, and isolation, which can impact the person’s self-esteem and mental health. In some cases, it can even lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Character assassination often involves manipulation and gaslighting, where the perpetrator tries to make the victim doubt their own reality or perception of events. This can be especially damaging, as it can lead the victim to question their own sanity or judgment.

If you or someone you know is experiencing character assassination, it’s important to seek support from trusted friends, family members, or a mental health professional. It’s also important to document any instances of defamation or harassment and seek legal advice if necessary.

In addition, practicing self-care and focusing on healthy coping strategies, such as exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques, can help mitigate the negative effects of character assassination on mental health.

©Linda Turner http://parentalalienationpas.com 2023

Beware of the Malevolent Dark Triad

Think of the Dark Triad of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism as the Bermuda Triangle – it’s perilous to get near it! The traits of all three often overlap and create personality profiles that are damaging and toxic, especially when it comes to intimate relationships, where we let our guard down.

One woman was the subject of identity fraud. Her bank accounts and credit cards were compromised. At the time, she was in love with her boyfriend who lived with her in her apartment. She was speaking regularly with the FBI and suffered extreme anxiety and emotional stress. The authorities were unsuccessful in finding the culprit.

Her fiancé was very supportive in doing research to try to find him. He comforted her, occasionally bought her gifts, and paid her monthly rent out of money she gave him. When eventually the landlord confronted her about months of delinquency, she realized that the criminal was in fact her own boyfriend, who had been pocketing her rent money, except to buy her gifts. Her denial made it difficult to accept the truth about his ruthless gaslighting. Continue reading “Beware of the Malevolent Dark Triad”

Common Dark Triad Traits

Recent comparative research on the Dark Triad has attempted to analyze differences among these three malevolent personalities. To varying degrees, all act aggressively out of self-interest and lack empathy and remorse. They’re skilled at manipulation and exploit and deceive others, though their motivations and tactics vary. They violate social norms and moral values and lie, deceive, cheat, steal, and bully. It’s thought that genetic factors underlie their personality to some degree.

Machiavellianism and psychopathy are more closely correlated due to their malicious behavior; whereas narcissists are defensive and more fragile. This is because their grandiosity and arrogance is a façade for deeper feelings of inadequacy. (See “Relationships with Narcissists.”) Men outnumber women, primarily when psychopathic traits were measured (i.e., not just deceit, manipulation, etc.). This difference is linked to the overt antisocial behavior associated with psychopathy, suggesting that it may be due to biological factors, such as testosterone, as well as social norms Continue reading “Common Dark Triad Traits”

“Dark” personality traits might be impeding pandemic efforts, but the overall picture is far more complex

“As hypothesized, participants characterized by the Dark Triad traits were less likely to engage in preventive behavior and more likely to hoard,” the study notes. “Such findings are congruent with details about the fact that people who are high on these traits are more impulsive, focus on self-interest, and tend toward risk-taking. Participants higher on the Dark Triad traits seemed to be concerned with negative aspects of prevention and not consider the benefits of it.”

Psychologists love fancy names, and the Dark Triad is no exception. The triad refers to the personality traits of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism (a psychological trait centered on interpersonal manipulation and moral indifference) and it’s a fitting description. Although it’s not as simple These are indeed dark, malevolent personality traits, what normal people would tend to call “not a nice person”. People scoring high on these traits tend to be less compassionate and empathetic, and as it turns out, also tend to care less about pandemic prevention.

In one of the studies, led by Magdalena Zemojtel-Piotrowska, the authors note that Dark Triad traits are associated with less prevention and more hoarding (remember the toilet paper hoarding from a few months ago?).

The team surveyed 755 individuals in Poland during the first stages of the pandemic and lockdown. The higher people scored on Dark Triad traits, the less likely they were to support prevention measures — which was exactly what researchers suspected.

Narcissism and psychopathy linked to defiance of coronavirus prevention

The personality proﬁle of a cyberbully: Examining the Dark Triad

Unequivocally, various forms of bullying (e.g., physical, verbal,relational, damage to property,etc.) pose a serious problem for students and society in general (Gladden, Vivolo-Kantor, Hamburger,& Lumpkin, 2014; Smith & Brain, 2000). Thankfully, bullying is becoming less accepted as a ‘‘normal part of childhood’’ and instead, is now being addressed by schools as a considerable threat(Limber & Small, 2003). Because of the harmful consequences of bullying, personality researchers frequently examine and explain the bullying problem, in part, as a manifestation of individual differences (e.g., Mynard & Joseph, 1997; Sutton & Keogh, 2000; Tani,Greenman, Schneider, & Fregoso, 2003). One form of bullying,cyber bullying, is particularly problematic because as schools, parents, and communities attempt to combat it, perpetrators ﬁnd new and creative ways to victimize others through the use of evolving technologies (e.g., new cell phone apps, social networking websites, messaging programs). As Menesini and Spiel (2012)pointed out, ‘‘although some consistent ﬁndings have been reached so far, there is still a lack of knowledge about developmental processes of cyber bullying and on possible predictors and correlates,such as personality’’ (p. 164). Therefore, the current study examined cyber bullying behavior as an expression of undesirable personality traits (i.e., the Dark Triad)

https://www.academia.edu/14512179/The_personality_profile_of_a_cyberbully_Examining_the_Dark_Triad