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Light/Dark Triad Test

The Dark Triad and Light Triad tests are both popular, research-backed tests that measure your dark (antisocial) and light (prosocial) traits, respectively.

This test is one of the first to combine the Dark and Light Triad into a single test, delivering composite results.

Do you tend toward the dark or the light side of personality? For each of the following questions, indicate how well it describes you below.

Question 1 of 36

I often have tender, concerned feelings for people who are less fortunate than I am.

Disagree
Agree

NEXT

The IDRlabs Light Triad/Dark Triad Test was developed by IDRlabs based on the academic references and projects detailed below. IDRlabs is not affiliated with any of these researchers or their institutions.

The Light Triad/Dark Triad Test was compiled on the basis of the following sources: Johnson, Laura K.D. (2018): "The Light Triad Scale: Developing and Validating a Preliminary Measure of Prosocial Orientation.” Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5515. Kaufman, S., Yaden, D., Hyde, E., & Tsukayama, E. (2019): “The light vs. dark triad of personality: Contrasting two very different profiles of human nature.” Frontiers in Psychology. Dowgwillo & Pincus: Differentiating Dark Triad Traits Within and Across Interpersonal Circumplex Surfaces (Assessment 2016) 1073191116643161. Furham, Richard & Paulhus: The Dark Triad of Personality: A 10 Year Review (Social and Personality Psychology Compass Volume 7, Issue 3, 2013) pp. 199-216. Jonason, Kaufman, Webster & Geher: What Lies Beneath the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen: Varied Relations with the Big Five (Individual Differences Research 2013, Vol 11. No. 2) pp. 81-90.

The Dark Triad is a test measuring the dark traits of psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism. The Light Triad is a test measuring the light traits of empathy, compassion, and altruism. Together they provide a combined picture of the respondent’s dark and light traits. This quiz also allows you to compare your scores with the population average, as well as to see whether you tend more toward the Light Triad or the Dark Triad.

As the publishers of this free online Dark Triad/Light Triad Test, which allows you to determine the extent of your dark and light traits, we have strived to make the quiz as reliable and valid as possible by subjecting it to statistical controls and validation. However, free online quizzes such as the present personality test do not provide professional assessments or recommendations of any kind; the test is provided entirely “as-is.” For more information about any of our online tests and quizzes, please consult our Terms of Service.

Why Use This Test?

1. High validity and reliability. There is good scientific evidence that the Dark Triad and Light Triad items are solid psychometric constructs that hold up when analyzed statistically and should be considered among the mainstay of scientific personality testing.

2. Free. This Dark Triad/Light Triad test is delivered to you free of charge, accessibly, and without the need for registration or sign-ups.

3. Benchmarked to population averages. This Dark Triad/Light Triad Test makes use of large-sample population averages as obtained from scientific papers and in-house testing.

4. Statistical controls. Test scores are logged into an anonymized database. Statistical analysis of the test is conducted to ensure maximum accuracy and validity of the test scores.

5. Made by professionals. The authors of this Dark Triad/Light Triad Test are certified in the use of numerous personality tests and have worked professionally with personality testing.