Dark Personality Traits Test: D70 The Dark Factor
Scientific Dark Personality Traits Test: D70 based on 5 years of research by Moshagen, Zettler, and Hilbig. Discover your Dark Factor level and profile across 9 aversive personality trait subscales.
About the Methodology
What It Measures
D70 (Dark Factor of Personality) is a scientific psychological test developed by Professors Morten Moshagen (Ulm University), Ingo Zettler (University of Copenhagen), and Benjamin Hilbig (University of Koblenz-Landau) through 5 years of research. The test measures the D-factor — the common core underlying all dark personality traits.
Test Structure
Normative Data
Psychometric Properties
What the Test Measures
The test measures 9 key dimensions, each revealing important aspects of your personality.
Egoism
8 questionsExcessive concern with one's own pleasure or advantage at the expense of community well-being.
Machiavellianism
8 questionsA manipulative attitude characterized by strategic calculation, cynical disregard for morality, and focus on self-interest.
Moral Disengagement
8 questionsCognitive mechanisms for unethical behavior without discomfort, including moral justification and diffusion of responsibility.
Narcissism
8 questionsExcessive self-absorption, a sense of superiority, and an extreme need for admiration from others.
Psychological Entitlement
8 questionsA stable and pervasive sense that one deserves more and is entitled to more than others.
Psychopathy
8 questionsDeficits in affect (shallow emotions) and self-control (impulsivity) along with callousness and manipulativeness.
Sadism
8 questionsEnjoyment of cruelty. Willingness to inflict physical or psychological harm on others for pleasure or dominance.
Self-Interest
6 questionsPursuit of gains in social, financial, or other domains, prioritizing advancement of one's own interests.
Spitefulness
8 questionsWillingness to incur costs to harm others, destructiveness even at the expense of oneself.
Who Is This For
People who want to know their Dark Factor level
Those interested in the psychology of dark traits and aversive behavior
Those who want to understand which of the 9 dark traits are most pronounced in them
Those studying a partner for potentially problematic behavior
Professionals in HR, psychology, or coaching
Practical Value
Determine your overall Dark Factor level (D-score)
Detailed profile across 9 dark trait subscales
Identify your most dominant aversive traits (top 3)
Scientific interpretation of each scale
Recommendations for working with pronounced traits
Understanding the 'shadow side' of your personality
The Dark Factor of Personality (D): Scientific Foundations
What unites narcissism, psychopathy, sadism, and other aversive traits into a common core
🎭What is the D-Factor?
Scientists discovered that all dark personality traits are interconnected and share a common source. The D-factor is the tendency to maximize one's own utility at the expense of others, accompanied by beliefs that justify such behavior.
D-factor explains 60-70% of total variance in all dark traits (Moshagen et al., 2018)
Heritability of D-factor is approximately 50% (twin studies)
Associated with reduced amygdala activation when viewing others' suffering
D-factor predicts unethical behavior better than individual traits
🌑9 Subscales of D70 Test
Each subscale measures a distinct aspect of dark personality. Together they form a complete picture of the D-factor.
Pursuing personal gain at others' expense
Manipulativeness and cynical view of morality
Justifying unethical actions
Grandiose sense of self-importance
Belief in special rights for oneself
Lack of empathy and remorse
Deriving pleasure from others' suffering
Pursuit of status and material gain
Willingness to harm even oneself to hurt others
📊Psychometric Characteristics
D70 is the result of 5 years of scientific research and published in the leading APA journal:
📜History of D70 Development
🎯Where D-Factor Assessment is Applied
💡Interesting Fact
A 2019 study showed that people with high D-factor are 3 times more likely to violate traffic rules and 4 times more likely to commit minor workplace violations. Yet they don't consider their behavior unethical due to moral disengagement mechanisms.
📖 Moshagen, M., Hilbig, B.E., & Zettler, I. (2020). Psychological Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dark Factor of Personality (D)?
The Dark Factor (D) is the common core underlying all dark personality traits (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, etc.). Research has shown that all these traits are interconnected and share a common source: the tendency to maximize one's own advantage at the expense of others, accompanied by beliefs that justify such behavior.
How is D70 different from the Dark Triad test?
The Dark Triad measures only 3 traits: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. D70 includes 9 subscales and identifies a unified D-factor that better predicts aversive behavior than the sum of individual triad traits. It's a more comprehensive and scientifically modern concept.
Is a high D-score bad?
A high D-score indicates a pronounced tendency toward behavior that may harm others. However, the test doesn't make diagnoses or moral judgments. Awareness of your dark traits is the first step to managing them. Many successful people have moderately elevated D and use these traits constructively.
What scales are included in D70?
D70 includes 9 subscales: Egoism, Machiavellianism, Moral Disengagement, Narcissism, Psychological Entitlement, Psychopathy, Sadism, Self-Interest, and Spitefulness. Each measures a separate aspect of dark personality, while the overall D-factor represents their common core.
How scientifically validated is the D70 test?
D70 was developed through 5 years of scientific research and published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Assessment (American Psychological Association) in 2020. Test reliability (α = 0.93–0.96) and test-retest stability (r = 0.90) are excellent indicators for a psychological instrument.
Ready to Learn About Yourself?
Take the test and get a detailed scientific analysis with personalized recommendations from an AI psychologist.
Test results are informational and cannot be used for clinical diagnosis.
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