Participating in activist groups linked to increased narcissism and psychopathy over time

A new longitudinal study published in Personality and Individual Differences provides evidence of a complex, two-way relationship between environmental activism and specific personality traits. The findings suggest that while manipulative and aggressive tendencies can predict involvement in environmental causes, engaging in activism may also reinforce traits such as narcissism and psychopathy over time.

Hannes Zacher, a professor at Leipzig University, conducted this research to investigate the psychological underpinnings of environmental engagement. Previous cross-sectional research has often linked environmentalism with positive traits like agreeableness and openness. However, more controversial tactics employed by groups such as Last Generation have prompted questions about potential “dark” personality traits among activists.

Zacher aimed to test two competing psychological theories regarding this relationship. The first is the dark-ego-vehicle principle, which posits that individuals with high levels of dark traits are drawn to activism to satisfy ego-focused needs, such as a desire for status or dominance. The second framework is self-perception theory, which suggests that people infer their own personality characteristics by observing their past behaviors.

In a previous 2024 study, Zacher observed positive associations between environmental activism and traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and left-wing authoritarianism. But that research relied on data collected at a single point in time. This limited the ability to determine whether these personality traits drive people to become activists or if the experience of activism actually changes a person’s character.

For his new study, the researcher utilized a panel study design involving employed individuals in Germany. The study included 1,998 participants at the first time point. One year later, 1,199 of these individuals provided follow-up data that could be matched to their initial responses.

The study measured three distinct forms of environmental activism. The first was civic environmental actions, which included general activities like attending rallies or organizing events. The second was direct participation in specific activist groups, namely Fridays for Future and Last Generation. The third measure assessed the level of support a participant felt for these activist groups.

Participants also completed the “Dirty Dozen” scale to assess the dark triad of personality. This includes Machiavellianism, characterized by manipulation and strategic calculation; narcissism, defined by grandiosity and entitlement; and psychopathy, which involves impulsivity and a lack of empathy. Additionally, the study measured three dimensions of left-wing authoritarianism: antihierarchical aggression, anticonventionalism, and top-down censorship.

The researcher used statistical models to determine whether personality traits at the first time point predicted activism one year later. These models also tested the reverse possibility: whether engaging in activism predicted changes in personality traits over the subsequent year.

The results revealed a reciprocal relationship regarding Machiavellianism. Individuals with higher levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in civic environmental actions one year later. Simultaneously, those who engaged in civic actions showed increased levels of Machiavellianism over the course of the year.

This finding aligns with the idea that the strategic and alliance-building nature of activism may appeal to those with Machiavellian tendencies. It also suggests that the environment of political engagement might reinforce these manipulative traits.

Regarding left-wing authoritarianism, the study found that antihierarchical aggression predicted greater participation in environmental activist groups. This dimension involves a desire to overthrow established power structures and punish those in power.

This predictive link supports the notion that individuals with aggressive, anti-establishment views are drawn to groups advocating for systemic change. However, the reverse was not true; participation did not predict subsequent increases in antihierarchical aggression.

A different pattern emerged for narcissism, offering a notable divergence from earlier results. The data did not support previous findings that narcissism predicts engagement in civic actions or support for activist groups. Instead, participation in activist groups predicted higher levels of narcissism one year later.

This contradicts the dark-ego-vehicle assumption for this trait but lends support to self-perception theory. It suggests that the act of participating in high-profile, often moralized group activities may cultivate a sense of grandiosity or moral superiority over time.

Perhaps the most unexpected findings concerned psychopathy. The researcher had not initially hypothesized a link here, and the 2024 study found no unique associations. Yet, the current analysis showed that both civic environmental actions and participation in activist groups predicted higher levels of psychopathy one year later.

This suggests that the confrontational nature of certain forms of activism might foster characteristics associated with psychopathy, such as callousness or impulsivity. It is also possible that the disruption associated with protests allows for the expression of these traits.

Zacher also examined anticonventionalism, a facet of left-wing authoritarianism involving the rejection of traditional values. The analysis showed a reciprocal positive relationship between anticonventionalism and support for activist groups. Those who rejected tradition were more likely to support these groups, and supporting these groups appeared to deepen anticonventionalist views.

Finally, the results regarding top-down censorship provided mixed evidence compared to the prior study. Consistent with the 2024 findings, merely supporting activist groups predicted an increase in top-down censorship over time. In contrast, actual engagement in civic environmental actions predicted a decrease in censorship preferences.

This makes sense given that activists often protest against government authorities and would likely oppose state censorship. The distinction highlights a psychological difference between active participants on the ground and those who offer passive support.

The researcher noted some limitations to the study. The data relied entirely on self-reports, which can be subject to bias. Additionally, the sample consisted of employed individuals in Germany, meaning the results may not apply to students, retirees, or people in other cultural contexts.

The time lag of one year is another factor to consider. Personality traits are generally stable, and a single year may not be sufficient to capture long-term developmental changes. Future research could benefit from longer timeframes and more diverse samples to verify these patterns.

Despite these limitations, the study offers significant contributions to the psychology of political engagement. It demonstrates that the relationship between who we are and what we do might be bidirectional. Our personality influences the causes we champion, but those causes also leave a mark on our character.

The study, “Environmental activism, dark triad traits, and left-wing authoritarianism: A constructive replication study,” was authored by Hannes Zacher.