Why it’s good to be baaaad.

New Scientist reveals why bad boys get more action – it’s because of the evolutionary pressure of the “dark triad” of personality traits, say mild-mannered scientists. Self-obsessed narcissism, thrill-seeking psychopathy and manipulative deceit make a mate appealing because they’re a good way to make lots of thrill-seeking, manipulative, self-obsessed babies:

James Bond epitomises this set of traits, Jonason says. “He’s clearly disagreeable, very extroverted and likes trying new things – killing people, new women.” Just as Bond seduces woman after woman, people with dark triad traits may be more successful with a quantity-style or shotgun approach to reproduction, even if they don’t stick around for parenting. “The strategy seems to have worked. We still have these traits,” Jonason says.

Just don’t try to get James Bond to settle down.

(And why is it these evolutionary science pieces always seem to be circular in some way? We like these traits because these are the traits we have grown to like?)

Entered on 20 June 2008 at 6:03 in the Science file | Care to make an observation? | Print Print

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