Scientists Reveal The U.S. States Where People Score Highest For ‘Dark’ Personality Traits

The age-old debate over whether personality is shaped by nature or nurture has taken another fascinating turn after researchers analyzed data from nearly two million people around the world. Their findings suggest that the places we live may influence far more than our daily routines, careers, or opportunities. According to the study, societies struggling with higher levels of corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence also tend to have larger numbers of people displaying what psychologists describe as “dark” personality traits. While the findings don’t mean everyone living in those areas fits the description, they do point toward a striking connection between social conditions and human behavior.

The research examined responses from participants across 183 countries and all 50 U.S. states, making it one of the largest investigations of its kind. Instead of looking only at psychopathy, researchers measured what is known as the “Dark Factor” of personality, a broader concept that captures characteristics such as selfishness, manipulation, narcissism, spitefulness, and a willingness to exploit others for personal gain. The results revealed noticeable regional differences, with some U.S. states consistently scoring higher than others. Researchers believe these patterns offer another clue about how the environments people grow up and live in can shape personality over time.

Researchers Say Social Conditions May Shape Personality

For decades, psychologists have recognized that both genetics and life experiences influence who we become. This latest analysis expands on that idea by examining whether the overall health of a society also affects personality development. Rather than focusing solely on individual upbringing or family background, the researchers explored whether larger social issues could leave a lasting mark on entire populations.

To investigate the question, the team combined personality questionnaire responses with publicly available data measuring corruption, poverty, inequality, and violent crime. By comparing these factors across countries and throughout the United States, they looked for long-term patterns rather than isolated events. The sheer size of the dataset allowed researchers to compare millions of responses against measurable social conditions.

According to the study summary, a consistent trend emerged. Areas experiencing greater social adversity also tended to record higher average scores on the Dark Factor of personality. The relationship was observed internationally and was also reflected when researchers compared individual U.S. states, suggesting the connection was not limited to one culture or region.

Although the researchers describe the relationship as moderate rather than overwhelming, they argue that even modest differences across large populations can have meaningful consequences. Personality traits linked to aggression, manipulation, and exploitation can influence workplaces, communities, institutions, and everyday interactions, making small shifts across millions of people potentially significant.

Which States Ranked Highest?

When the researchers narrowed their analysis to the United States, several states stood out because they combined higher levels of poverty, inequality, corruption convictions, and homicide rates with higher average Dark Factor scores. According to the study summary, Louisiana and Nevada were among the states most strongly associated with these personality characteristics.

The findings do not suggest that residents of these states are psychopaths or that everyone living there shares these traits. Instead, the study identifies statistical averages across entire populations. Just as a state may have a higher average income without every resident being wealthy, higher Dark Factor scores represent population-level trends rather than individual diagnoses.

Researchers also stress that psychopathy is only one component of the broader Dark Factor. The measure includes several socially aversive personality characteristics, meaning the study examines a wider pattern of behavior instead of labeling people with a specific psychological disorder. That distinction is important because clinical psychopathy requires professional assessment and cannot be determined simply by where someone lives.

The researchers believe these findings should encourage discussions about how long-term social conditions influence human behavior. If difficult environments contribute to the development of darker personality traits, then improving those environments could benefit future generations in ways that extend beyond economics or crime statistics.

The States With The Lowest Levels Of Dark Personality Traits

At the opposite end of the rankings, the study found that some states consistently recorded lower average Dark Factor scores. According to the research summary, Utah and Vermont were among the states where people were less likely to display personality traits associated with manipulation, selfishness, and exploitation. These states also tended to report lower levels of corruption, reduced income inequality, and fewer indicators of long-term social adversity compared with states at the top of the rankings.

The researchers caution that these findings should not be interpreted as proof that people living in certain states are inherently kinder or morally superior. Personality exists on a spectrum, and every state is home to millions of individuals with different experiences, values, and behaviors. The rankings simply reflect statistical averages collected from a very large dataset rather than characteristics of any one person.

Even so, the contrast between higher and lower scoring states supports the broader conclusion of the study. Communities with stronger social stability appeared less likely to produce elevated levels of the Dark Factor. While the connection is not absolute, the consistency of the pattern suggests that the environments people live in may play a meaningful role in shaping personality over time.

Researchers believe these results reinforce the idea that improving living conditions could have benefits beyond economic growth. Reducing inequality, strengthening institutions, and creating safer communities may also contribute to healthier social behavior across future generations.

How Researchers Measured The “Dark Factor”

Rather than examining psychopathy on its own, the research focused on what psychologists call the “Dark Factor” of personality. This concept brings together several socially aversive traits under one broader framework, including narcissism, psychopathy, spitefulness, manipulation, and a willingness to pursue personal gain even when it harms others. By measuring the common thread connecting these behaviors, researchers hoped to gain a clearer picture of how darker personality characteristics appear across different societies.

To measure societal conditions, the team combined personality questionnaire responses with official public data. For countries around the world, they relied on World Bank indicators covering corruption, poverty, income inequality, and violence. For comparisons between U.S. states, they used Census Bureau figures on poverty and inequality, FBI homicide statistics, and Justice Department corruption conviction data to create a consistent picture of long-term social conditions.

Bringing these datasets together allowed researchers to compare personality patterns with measurable indicators of how societies function. Instead of relying on opinions or perceptions, the study used publicly available statistics that reflected years of economic and social trends. This approach gave researchers a way to examine whether people living under more challenging conditions were also more likely to exhibit darker personality characteristics.

Because the analysis included nearly two million participants across 183 countries and every U.S. state, it represents one of the largest investigations into the relationship between personality and society. Although the researchers acknowledge that many factors influence personality, they believe the size of the dataset strengthens confidence that the patterns observed are unlikely to be the result of chance alone.

Why Social Conditions Could Influence Personality

Psychologists have long argued that personality develops through a combination of genetics and life experiences. Family upbringing, education, friendships, and major life events all help shape the way people think and behave. This study suggests that the wider social environment may also become part of that process, especially when people spend years living with instability, inequality, or insecurity.

Communities affected by persistent poverty or violence often expose residents to higher levels of stress, uncertainty, and competition for limited resources. Researchers believe these pressures may encourage behaviors focused more heavily on self-preservation or personal advantage. Over time, those behavioral patterns could become more common within populations, even if they never develop into clinical personality disorders.

The researchers emphasize that this does not mean difficult circumstances automatically create psychopathic personalities. Countless people grow up in challenging environments while remaining compassionate, honest, and deeply connected to their communities. Instead, the study points to probabilities across large populations rather than predicting how any individual will behave.

Understanding that distinction is one of the study’s most important messages. The findings describe broad social trends, not personal destinies. They suggest that improving society itself may help reduce the conditions associated with darker personality traits, offering another reason for policymakers to focus on reducing corruption, inequality, and violence.

Why The Findings Matter Beyond The Rankings

The researchers argue that the study has implications that extend well beyond personality psychology. Traits associated with the Dark Factor have previously been linked to behaviors such as aggression, deception, exploitation, and unethical decision-making. When those behaviors become more common across large populations, they can influence everything from workplace culture and public trust to crime rates and political institutions.

That does not mean societal problems can be explained solely by personality. Economic conditions, education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and public policy all play major roles in determining how communities develop. However, the study suggests that personality and society may influence one another in ways researchers are only beginning to understand. Challenging environments may encourage darker personality traits, while those traits can also contribute to behaviors that make social problems even harder to solve.

The findings also challenge the idea that personality is fixed from birth. Although genetics remain an important part of who we are, the researchers believe the environments people experience throughout their lives can also leave a lasting impression. Living in communities with lower corruption, greater equality, and stronger social stability may help create conditions that encourage cooperation rather than exploitation.

If future studies support these conclusions, the research could influence how policymakers think about long-term investments in society. Programs that reduce poverty, improve education, strengthen institutions, and increase public trust may have benefits that go beyond economics, potentially shaping the personalities of future generations as well.

Key Takeaways From The Research

The study highlights several important findings that stand out from the broader analysis:

• Social conditions appear to matter. States and countries with higher levels of corruption, poverty, inequality, and violence generally recorded higher Dark Factor scores.
• Louisiana and Nevada ranked among the highest. According to the study summary, these states showed stronger associations with darker personality traits than many other parts of the United States.
• Utah and Vermont ranked among the lowest. Researchers found lower average Dark Factor scores in states with comparatively lower levels of social adversity.
• The research examined populations, not individuals. The findings describe statistical trends across millions of people and should never be used to judge any single person.
• Personality may be shaped by both genes and environment. The study supports the growing view that where people live can influence how personality develops over time.

The Study Has Important Limitations

Like any large-scale research project, this study comes with limitations. The researchers identified a relationship between social conditions and personality traits, but the results do not prove that one directly causes the other. Many factors influence human behavior, and it is likely that genetics, education, family life, culture, and personal experiences all interact in complex ways.

Another limitation is that the personality data came from people who voluntarily completed questionnaires online. Although the sample size was enormous, it may not perfectly represent every country or every U.S. state. People who choose to participate in online personality studies may differ from those who never take part, creating the possibility of sampling bias.

The researchers also emphasize that the relationship they observed was moderate rather than overwhelming. Plenty of people living in states with higher Dark Factor scores display kindness, honesty, and empathy every day, while individuals with darker personality traits can be found in every community regardless of location.

Even with those limitations, the study provides one of the largest datasets yet exploring how personality and society may be connected. Future research will determine whether similar patterns continue to emerge as more data becomes available and whether improving social conditions can help reduce the prevalence of these traits over time.

Looking At Personality Through A Different Lens

Research into personality often focuses on the individual, asking why one person behaves differently from another. This study shifts the conversation by examining whether the communities people grow up in also shape those differences. Instead of viewing personality as something determined entirely by genetics or childhood experiences, the findings suggest society itself may play a larger role than previously understood.

Whether future studies strengthen or challenge these conclusions, the research offers an intriguing perspective on the relationship between people and the places they call home. If healthier societies can encourage healthier behaviors, efforts to reduce corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence may deliver benefits that reach far beyond economics, influencing how future generations interact with one another and the world around them.

Sources:

• Zettler, I., Lilleholt, L., Bader, M., Hilbig, B. E., & Moshagen, M. (2025). Aversive societal conditions explain differences in “dark” personality across countries and US states. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(20), e2500830122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2500830122
• Mhz. (n.d.). D: the dark factor of personality. https://darkfactor.org/