Machiavellianism focuses on calculated manipulation for long-term gain (power, money) with strategic, hidden methods, valuing the ends over the means, while narcissism centers on grandiosity, entitlement, and craving admiration, often using deception for immediate ego boosts or to maintain a superior image, with a core need for external validation, though both involve low empathy and exploit others. The key difference: Machiavellians are puppeteers (control), narcissists want the spotlight (attention).
These three traits are (1) Machiavellianism, centered on manipulativeness and indifference to morality; (2) narcissism, characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance and excessive self-love; and (3) psychopathy, characterized by a lack of empathy and antisocial behavior.
These people, Machiavellian people, are focused on getting things done pragmatically. In this sense, they are much more psychopathic than narcissistic. They don't care about allegiances, affiliations, history, belonging, group loyalty, they don't, in group, they don't care about any of these things.
The closest equivalent is antisocial personality disorder. As with narcissism, people with dark triad personalities often have these characteristics but don't meet the criteria for a diagnosis. Machiavellianism is the tendency to lie, manipulate and strategize to gain power.
Machiavellianism and the Dark Triad
The number one trait of a narcissist is often considered a grandiose sense of self-importance (grandiosity) combined with a profound lack of empathy, where they see others as tools for their own gain and have an inflated, often unrealistic, view of their own superiority, needing constant admiration without acknowledging others' feelings or needs, as highlighted by HelpGuide.org and The Hart Centre. This core creates other behaviors like entitlement, manipulation, and arrogance, making them believe they deserve special treatment.
People high in Machiavellianism tend to be deeply distrustful of others and struggle to engage in the warm, communal behavior that healthy relationships require. They may have little qualms about deceiving or manipulating someone they're close to.
Signs of Machiavellianism
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and covert narcissism are two mental health conditions that can seem very similar. People with either disorder may have big emotions, act in confusing ways, or struggle in relationships. But what causes those behaviors and what they feel inside is very different.
Individuals high in machiavellianism are especially drawn to leadership and management positions, which became an important subject in the primary literature. Sales careers also attract dark triad individuals, with one study stating that such individuals are "prevalent" in the industry.
Machiavellians can experience romantic attraction and form attachments, including falling in love. However, they tend to view relationships as a means to an end, or struggle to prioritize their partner's wants or needs.
Most researchers consider psychopathy—a trait characterized by a lack of empathy and remorse—to be the “darkest” of the Dark Triad, in so far as psychopaths generally cause more harm to individuals and to society than do narcissists or "High Machs." “Psychopath” is not a mental health diagnosis; the disorder that most ...
The 10 Harmful Traits of a Narcissist (With Real-Life Impact)
Malignant narcissism is a severe type of narcissistic personality disorder that combines grandiosity with sadistic behavior. Learn more about the symptoms and how to handle a malignant narcissist. By Sheldon Reid, Reviewed by Melinda Smith, M.A.
We attempt to replicate research focused on the Big Five traits (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness; Donnellan, Oswald, Baird, & Lucas, 2006) and extend that to include the Dark Triad traits (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism; Paulhus & Williams, 2002).
Five key signs of a narcissist include a grandiose sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a strong sense of entitlement, lack of empathy for others' feelings, and a tendency to exploit or manipulate people for personal gain, all stemming from a fragile ego and deep insecurity. They often boast, feel unique, get easily slighted by criticism, and disregard others' needs.
The "3 E's of Narcissism" refer to three core traits often seen in individuals with narcissistic tendencies: Empathy impairment, a profound lack of understanding or sharing of others' feelings; Entitlement, a belief they deserve special treatment and admiration; and Exploitation, using others for personal gain without guilt. These characteristics highlight how narcissists often struggle to connect emotionally, feel superior, and manipulate people to meet their own needs.
The most overlooked symptom of narcissism is aggressive, habitual non-listening, where they talk excessively and dismiss or interrupt others with phrases like "but..." to regain control, masking deeper issues like fragility and a need for admiration, especially in covert or vulnerable types who often appear charming but are inwardly insecure. It's overlooked because it's subtle, masked by faked interest, and often mistaken for simple rudeness rather than a core disorder driven by a fragile self-image and lack of empathy.
Five core traits of a narcissist include a grandiose sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a strong sense of entitlement, lack of empathy, and a tendency for interpersonally exploitative behavior, meaning they use others for personal gain. These traits often manifest as arrogance, fantasies of unlimited success, and envy, making relationships challenging.
Manipulative Behavior:
People who exhibit Machiavellianism are skilled at influencing others using tactics like charm, deception, and calculated moves. They are also adept at identifying the weaknesses of those around them and using that knowledge to get what they want.
A prince must take great care never to let anything come from his mouth that is not full of the above-mentioned five qualities, and he must appear to all who see and hear him to be completely pious, completely faithful, completely honest, completely humane, and completely religious.
Men and women with high levels of Machiavellianism do engage in friendships, but report low friendship quality (Abell et al., 2014, Lyons and Aitken, 2010). This is unsurprising given the high levels of suspicion, cynicism, and emotional detachment associated with Machiavellianism.
Top 5 Niccolò Machiavelli quotes to remember:
"The wise man does at once what the fool does finally." "It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver." "I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it." "Never was anything great achieved without danger."
5 Machiavellian Psychological Tactics to Outsmart Manipulators.