Corruption and inequality can shape darker personality traits, global study finds
A massive new study has found that people living in places with more corruption, inequality, poverty, or violence are more likely to develop "dark" personality traits—think narcissism or a tendency to put themselves first even if it hurts others.
Researchers looked at nearly two million people across 183 countries and all 50 US states.
Where you live matters
Countries like Indonesia and Mexico—and US states like Louisiana and Nevada—showed higher levels of these dark traits.
Meanwhile, places with less corruption and more fairness, like Denmark or Vermont, saw lower levels.
The association between adverse societal conditions and dark traits was especially strong among younger people and in cultures that value individualism.
Can things get better?
The researchers believe that making societies fairer—by tackling corruption and inequality—could help reduce these negative personality traits over time.
Basically: better environments might help people become their best selves.