High Machs flourish in face-to-face settings where there are limited rules and structure and when emotions hold little value in goal achievement. Low Machs are on the opposite side of the Mach spectrum and are characterized as being highly submissive.
Research finds significant differences between those who score high and those who score low on the Mach scale. Low Machs are more easily persuaded; high Machs are more resistant to persuasion. Low Machs are more empathic; high Machs are more logical.
The personality trait of Machiavellianism has also been described in contemporary studies of leadership (Judge et al., 2009); within the leadership arena, individuals who score high on Machiavellianism tend to be cunning, manipulative and will use whatever means necessary to gain political power.
A low Mach, on the other hand, tends to show empathy to others, and is honest and trusting. They believe in human goodness and that if you abide by good morals you will do well in life. Too low on the scale, however, can see people being submissive and too agreeable. There is also a 'Kiddie Mach Test' for children.
People who score over 60 (more affirmative responses to cynicism, deceitfulness, or manipulation) are said to be "High-Machs." They are more likely to demonstrate more deceitful and less empathic traits.
One study of popularity among teenagers found that those with a classic 'Machiavellian' personality are both feared and loved at the same time. It is a great example of how Machiavellians can be aggressive when they need to be, but can quickly switch to being nice.
In 1970, psychologists Richard Christie and Florence Geiss identified Machiavellianism as a personality trait involving manipulativeness, deceit, and a cold, calculating, cynical view of others.
Machiavellian personality traits are often associated with low levels of empathy and lack of interpersonal closeness. However, some individuals high on Machiavellian traits have been shown to be skilled at affective-perspective taking and thereby may appear to exhibit an empathic response.
They are arrogant and consider themselves to be superior to others. “Machiavellians are sly, deceptive, distrusting, and manipulative. They are characterized by cynical and misanthropic beliefs, callousness, a striving for … money, power, and status, and the use of cunning influence tactics.
People with Machiavellian personality tend to be highly intelligent. Consequently, they usually have very ambitious goals to which they dedicate lots of time and effort. They usually focus on taking advantage of other people for their own gain. All of their plans focus on achieving some end that they consider noble.
Are Machiavellian people are born that way? Experts do say that in a few small and isolated cases, there's a genetic predisposition to psychopathy. However, Machiavellianism is largely the result of a poor upbringing, the child imitating their parents.
In a nutshell, the medieval Italian philosopher asserted that a good leader: Should be feared rather than loved “if you cannot be both” in order to avoid a revolt. Should have the support of the people because it's difficult to take action without their support. Should hold good virtues.
A new measure of Machiavellianism, the Machiavellian Personality Scale (MPS), was developed and validated over two studies. Machiavellianism is conceptualized as one's propensity to distrust others, engage in amoral manipulation, seek control over others, and seek status for oneself.
Persons with elevated levels of neuroticism respond poorly to environmental stress, interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and can experience minor frustrations as hopelessly overwhelming.
Treatment For Machiavellianism
Psychotherapy is effective when they are honest and allow a trusting relationship between themselves and their therapists. People with this trait are often dishonest and don't trust other people. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is often recommended for people with malevolent traits.
Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, pride, egotism, and a lack of empathy. Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulation and exploitation of others, an absence of morality, unemotional callousness, and a higher level of self-interest.
Machiavellians fall on a spectrum, from low Machs — who are people that are not very selfish — to high Machs, who are, for lack of a more scientific description, selfish jerks. To find out if you are a Machiavellian, you can take this test.
Machiavellianism is not a mental health diagnosis; rather, it's a personality trait describing a manipulative individual who deceives and tricks others to achieve goals. It is based on the political philosophy of the 16th-century writer Niccolò Machiavelli.
604) noted that “Machiavellian leaders are motivated to manipulate others in order to accomplish their own goals. They have little trust in people and in turn, tend not to be trusted by others”.
Machiavellian leaders manipulate and undermine others using cunning and duplicitous methods. They actively work at being viewed as ingratiating towards others so that they are not seen as a threat.