Psychological research consistently demonstrates a link between personality traits and career paths. Numerous personality tests and studies suggest that individuals with caring and extroverted personalities often gravitate toward certain professions, while those who are practical or conscientious tend to choose others.
However, a recent study is flipping the script, examining the career preferences of individuals exhibiting what are often referred to as “dark” personality traits. Psychologist Ingo Zettler, at the Copenhagen Centre for Social Data Science (SODAS) at the University of Copenhagen, has been investigating this phenomenon. He is considered one of the world’s leading researchers on the darker aspects of human nature.
Zettler, along with an international team, conducted one of the first studies to specifically explore the correlation between these traits and career choices. The findings reveal that individuals with narcissistic and psychopathic tendencies tend to favor particular types of jobs, according to a report in Personlighetspsykologi: Teorier & Tester.
The research highlights one specific job type that people with these darker personality traits actively avoid. This research offers a new perspective on how personality influences professional life, and could have implications for talent acquisition and workplace dynamics. Zettler told Illustrert Vitenskap about the results of his study.
