Scientists have long assumed women were too ‘wonderful’ to be significantly psychopathic or narcissistic, but recent research suggests otherwise. Studies show that women can have a dark streak too, but their traits often manifest differently from men, leading to misdiagnosis when using standard tests developed for males.
Research into the ‘dark triad’ — psychopathy, narcissism and machiavellianism — has historically focused on men. However, experts like Ava Green from City St George’s, University of London, argue that societal expectations cause women to express these traits in less overt ways. For instance, while men tend toward grandiose narcissism — boasting high self-esteem and extroversion — women more commonly display vulnerable narcissism, involving introversion, defensiveness and low self-esteem.
Green explains that female narcissists often leverage their femininity, presenting as soft-spoken but engaging in cunning, premeditated manipulation. They may still lie, cheat and control others, but through indirect aggression like rumour-spreading and backstabbing, rather than the direct aggression typical of men. A study led by Antonella Somma at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan found that women with elevated dark traits had high levels of aggression but expressed it differently.
Vulnerable narcissism, more common in women, is strongly linked to aggression in relationships and physical or verbal bullying. Yet these women may be better at faking empathy and are more agreeable than those with other dark traits, making their narcissistic behaviours harder to spot. Green warns that female leaders with narcissistic traits can cause as much damage as male ones, damaging reputations and increasing staff turnover through sneaky tactics like blaming higher-ups for decisions they orchestrated.
