Are psychopaths better at making themselves attractive?

A new study by Holtzman and Strube of Washington University shows that people with dark personality traits are effective at making themselves attractive.  Specifically, the team looked at what is referred to as adorned attractiveness which is the ability to enhance physical attractiveness through such things as wearing stylish clothing, jewelry, use of makeup, hairstyle, etc.  The researchers found that those who possessed one or more  personality traits of the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) were more effective at adorning themselves than those with personality traits from The Big Five (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and intellect).

According to the authors "This study provides the first experimental evidence that dark personalities construct appearances that act as social lures—possibly facilitating their cunning social strategies."


http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/10/02/1948550612461284.abstract?papetoc

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/head-games/201210/why-are-mean-people-so-good-looking

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/10/20/villainous-people-are-hotter/Hmuk5Uj7ZVkDXAQM5FygBL/story.html