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MENTAL MODEL · M12881

Machiavellianism

Machiavellianism
BehaviorHigh supportSocial Psychology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

A personality trait characterized by the use of manipulation and exploitation of others, a cynical disregard for morality, and a focus on self-interest and deceit, often considered one of the Dark Triad personality traits.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

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- Recognize manipulation: watch for a tendency to reach goals through deception, scheming, and cold calculation. - Trace the origin: the term is named after Machiavelli's The Prince, the classic manual of ruthless statecraft.

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Machiavellianism denotes a personality and social-strategy tendency: the flexible, even manipulative, use of power and deception to achieve one's ends, with cold disregard for morality and emotion. It is one of the Dark Triad traits.

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MachiavellianismZH · Explicit
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