RESEARCHERS discovered that researchers have found a correlation between ‘dark personality traits’ and a desire for brain power.
The new Study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement looked at the correlation between certain personality traits and the desire to enhance human abilities.
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“Enhancement of human abilities has been a prominent topic throughout human history, but has received little attention from psychological research,” said study author Elena Schönthaler of the University of Graz.
“Nowadays, thanks to advanced technology, there are significantly more possibilities and means to optimize one’s abilities,” Schönthaler added.
“Finding out who would use enhancement methods has thus become an urgent question to answer.”
In the study, 450 participants were assessed via scientifically-validated questionnaires that measured their personality traits.
Participants completed a questionnaire about their personal values.
The researchers identified eight personality traits as being of importance to them: the Big Five’ and ‘Dark Triad’.
These are the five major personality traits: openness, conscientiousness and extraversion.
The “Dark Triad”, which includes Machiavellianism as well as sub-clinical narcissism and subclinical psychopathy, is still in existence.
The experiment
Researchers gave participants five possibilities to increase their brain power.
They used a combination of a new drug and two types each of brain stimulation, genetic enhance, and mind uploading.
Then, subjects were asked to indicate their willingness to try any of the methods.
The results
Researchers discovered a connection between personality traits of the Dark Triad, Big Five personalities, personal values, and willingness for cognitive improvement.
“Specifically, individuals high in agreeableness and conscientiousness and/or individuals following more conservative or self-transcending values (e.g., caring for the well-being of others) are less likely to accept self-enhancement methods,” Schönthaler explained.
“However, individuals high in Dark Triad traits and vulnerable narcissism and/or individuals following self-interested values are more likely to accept enhancement methods for their own use,” Schönthaler added.
“This indicates that personality and values should be taken into account when investigating enhancement methods, especially to prevent misuse of enhancement methods with possibly negative consequences.”
Researchers found that people who want to be better than they are don’t have to display a dark personality trait.
The researchers also noted that although their results were statistically significant, they were still weak.
There are likely many other factors that influence a person’s desire to self-enhance.