Artists share personality traits with psychopaths, according to several studies
Singers, painters, actors, dancers ... all they share personality traits with psychopaths according to what an investigation says. It is true that much has been said about the personality of artists, who are often very in touch with their emotions and who, according to some psychologists and psychiatrists, are more likely to suffer emotional instability and even other psychological problems.
But ... what is true in this? In the following lines we will delve into some of these issues and look for scientific answers to these facts.
- Related article: "Psychopathy: what happens in the mind of the psychopath?"
Artists and psychopaths share personality traits
Some investigations show surprising and incredible results. One of them says that psychopaths and artists share personality traits . This study was published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, and Adrianne John Galang, psychologist at the De La Salle University in Manila (Philippines) was interviewed.
According to the Daily Mail, the artists tend to have higher levels of emotional disinhibition , and are more prone to dishonesty and take risks.
The emotional disinhibition is the capacity for daring or taking risks that psychopaths have. That is, it is a characteristic of the personality that makes them not care about the consequences of their actions. As Galang explains, "creative people and artists also have this personality trait."
The director of the research also states that "the results show that artists tend to be more dishonest and arrogant people. Apparently, it would be the competitive environment in which they are involved what could shape their personality. "
However, other authors claim that the success of an artist is related to your level of narcissism . This is what the results of a study carried out by a finance professor named Yi Zhou indicate. The study was published in the European Journal of Finance. Narcissism is also a personality trait shown by psychopaths.
Artists and narcissism
The truth is not all artists have the same concerns and motivations . For example, imagine a painter who is going to live in the countryside to be able to feel fulfilled looking for the tranquility and inspiration of a place that allows him to get in touch with himself. But let's also imagine the dancer or the actor who moves to London or Los Angeles in search of the spotlight and the attention, in search of that role or work that makes him shine, that makes him a star and that, once and for all , your work is valued.
As Yi Zhou explains, "in order to succeed in the entertainment world, it is necessary to have this type of personality, the narcissist." In this sense, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, carried out by Mitja Back, of the University of Münster, identifies two dimensions of narcissism: the search for admiration and rivalry . Both are features that are very present in artists, and that affect their body language, their own personality and, in addition, to the health of personal relationships.
Luckily, the artists they do not seem to share the attitudes of psychopaths towards cruelty , although the results of the aforementioned investigations seem to explain the stereotype of the arrogant artist or the narcissistic musician.
- Related article: "The 3 differences between narcissism and egocentrism"
The artists and the Dark Triad theory
Some research has also found connections between artists and the Dark Triad or Dark Triad personality (more information in this article by Bertrand Regader). These individuals, who are really attractive, are characterized by having the following personality traits.
- Narcissism : they are people who want to be the focus of attention constantly so they are always looking to like others and tend to manipulate other people.
- Machiavellianism : they are individuals who seek fame, power and wealth, and also manipulate others to achieve that goal. They seek their own benefit independently of the common welfare.
- Psychopathy They tend to impulsivity, antisocial behavior, manipulation of others and the constant search for strong emotions.
Therefore, there are several studies that seem to indicate that there are certain personality traits shared by psychopaths and artists. However, it can not be said that artists are psychopaths or that psychopaths are artists.In fact, in the articles "Psychological profile of a psychopath, in 12 unmistakable traits" and "The 7 personality traits of creative people" can be read in more depth these issues.
How are creative people?
Creativity is undoubtedly one of the qualities that artists possess, and there are many researches that have tried to know what characteristics the personality of these individuals presents. One of the best known is the study carried out by Oyvind Lund Martinsen, professor at the Norwegian Business School (BI). According to this, creative people have :
- Connective intelligence : they are imaginative, playful and your mind is rich in ideas. They show commitment They live in their own reality, which is sometimes close to fiction.
- Need for originality : they do not follow the rules or the social impositions. They tend to be rebels.
- Motivation They seek to overcome themselves and face difficult tasks that stimulate them. They have an innovative attitude oriented towards objectives.
- Creative people feel the need to face difficult tasks , oriented to an objective, with an innovative attitude.
- Ambition : seek attention and influence others. They want recognition.
- Flexibility : they are original and they see different solutions to the problems.
- Low sociability : they consider themselves little considerate and obstinate people.
- Low emotional stability : They experience negative emotions easily and have a mood with fluctuations. Your self-esteem is often affected.
Psychological problems in artists
Regarding this last point, there is research that shows that approximately 40% of artists suffer psychological problems susceptible to treatment.
The art usually occurs in individuals more labile and fragile in the mind. They are people who live intensely their emotions and perceive the environment in a much more intense way. This trend makes them artists and people capable of making true works of art, but also in subjects more susceptible to suffering mental alterations.
