Machiavellianism

Machiavellianism

"Machiavellianism" is the term that some social and personality psychologists use to describe a person's tendency to deceive and manipulate others for personal gain. A less technical variant of the term is fawce. The concept is named after Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote "Il Principe" ("The Prince"). In the 1960s Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis developed a test for measuring a person's level of Machiavellianism. This eventually became the MACH-IV test, a twenty-statement personality survey that is now the standard self-assessment tool of Machiavellianism. People scoring above 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered "high Machs"; that is, they endorsed statements such as, "Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so," (No. 1) but not ones like, "Most people are basically good and kind" (No. 4). People scoring below 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered "low Machs"; they tend to believe, "There is no excuse for lying to someone else," (No. 7) and, "Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean, moral lives" (No. 11). In a series of studies undertaken by Christie and Geis and Geis's graduate assistant David Berger, the notion of machiavellianism was experimentally verified. It is also a budding religion and belief system based on the tenant that there is nothing except logic and yourself worth upholding.

References

ee also

* Machiavellian intelligence
* Antisocial personality disorder
* Social dominance orientation
* Cynicism
* Egoism
* Narcissism
* Anti-Machiavel
* Niccolò Machiavelli
* Sigmund Freud

External links

* [http://www.salon.com/books/it/1999/09/13/machtest/ Salon Books Machiavelli Personality Test] is an interactive version of the MACH-IV test of Machiavellianism.
* [http://www.evilgenes.com/ Barbara Oakley's Evil Genes page] Oakley has written a book Evil Genes, which is mostly about Machiavellianism


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Machiavellianism — Machiavelism Mach i*a*vel*ism, Machiavellianism Mach i*a*vel lian*ism, n. [Cf. F. machiav[ e]lisme; It. machiavellismo.] The supposed principles of Machiavelli, or practice in conformity to them; political artifice, intended to favor arbitrary… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Machiavellianism — noun Date: 1626 the political theory of Machiavelli; especially the view that politics is amoral and that any means however unscrupulous can justifiably be used in achieving political power …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Machiavellianism — Ma·chi·a·vel·li·an·ism (măk ē ə vĕlʹē ə nĭz əm) also Ma·chi·a·vel·lism ( vĕlʹĭz əm) n. The political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing… …   Universalium

  • Machiavellianism — noun a) A political philosophy, based on the writings of , especially , that advocates the use of ruthlessness and duplicity in political dealings. b) A political maneuver that exemplifies the philosophy. Syn: Machiavellism, realpolitik …   Wiktionary

  • Machiavellianism — n. principles and methods recommended by Machiavelli, justification of the use of unscrupulous and manipulative methods in the pursuit of political power …   English contemporary dictionary

  • machiavellianism — n cunning, deception, deceit, dishonesty, duplicity, Inf. hanky panky; treachery, perfidy, double dealing; slyness, foxiness, stealth, craftiness, surreptitiousness; trickery, sharp tricks, artifice, guile, roguery, knavery; machination, intrigue …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

  • machiavellianism — mach·i·a·vel·li·an·ism …   English syllables

  • Machiavellianism — noun the political doctrine of Machiavelli: any means (however unscrupulous) can be used by a ruler in order to create and maintain his autocratic government • Hypernyms: ↑autocracy * * * ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈvelēəˌnizəm, lyəˌn noun ( s) Usage: usually… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Machiavellian — Machiavellianism, Machiavellism, n. Machiavellianly, adv. /mak ee euh vel ee euhn/, adj. 1. of, like, or befitting Machiavelli. 2. being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli s The Prince, in which… …   Universalium

  • Niccolò Machiavelli — Machiavelli redirects here. For other uses, see Machiavelli (disambiguation). Niccolò Machiavelli Portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli by Santi di Tito Full name Niccolò Machiavelli Born …   Wikipedia

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