Artists Share Personality Traits With Psychopaths, According To Several Studies
Singers, painters, actors, dancers… everyone They share personality traits with psychopaths according to research. It is true that much has been said about the personality of artists, who tend to be very in touch with their emotions and who, according to some psychologists and psychiatrists, are more likely to suffer from emotional instability and even other psychological problems.
But… what is true in this? In the following lines we will delve into some of these questions and look for scientific answers to these facts.
Some research shows surprising and incredible results. One of them states that psychopaths and artists share personality traits. This study was published in the journal Personality and Individual Differencesand was carried out by Adrianne John Galang, a psychologist at De La Salle University in Manila (Philippines).
According to the Daily Mail, the artists They tend to have higher levels of emotional disinhibition and are more prone to dishonesty and risk-taking.
Emotional disinhibition is capacity for daring or risk-taking that psychopaths possess. That is, it is a personality characteristic 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 that could shape their personality.”
However, other authors affirm that the success of an artist It 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 displayed by psychopaths.
Artists and narcissism
The truth is Not all artists have the same concerns and motivations. For example, let’s imagine a painter who goes to live in the countryside in order to feel fulfilled by seeking the tranquility and inspiration of a place that allows him to come into contact with himself. But let’s also imagine the dancer or actor who travels to London or Los Angeles in search of the spotlight and attention, in search of that role or job that makes him shine, that turns him into a star and that, once and for all, , your work is valued.
As Yi Zhou explains, “to succeed in show business you need to have this type of personality, the narcissist.” In this sense, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychologycarried out by Mitja Back, from the University of Münster, identifies two dimensions of narcissism: the search for admiration and rivalry. Both are traits very present in artists, and they affect their body language, their own personality and, furthermore, the health of personal relationships.
Luckily, the artists do not seem to share psychopaths’ attitudes toward cruelty although the results of the aforementioned research seem to explain the stereotype of the arrogant artist or the narcissistic musician.
Some research has also found connections between artists and the Dark Triad personality (more information in this article by Bertrand Regader). These individuals, who are truly attractive, are characterized by having the following personality traits.
Therefore, there are several studies that seem to indicate that there are certain personality traits that psychopaths and artists share. However, it cannot be said that artists are psychopaths nor 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” you can read these topics in more depth.
How are creative people?
Creativity is undoubtedly one of the qualities that artists possess, and there are many investigations 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:
Psychological problems in artists
Regarding this last point, there is research that shows that approximately 40% of artists suffer from psychological problems susceptible to treatment.
Art usually occurs in individuals who are more labile and fragile in spirit. They are people who experience their emotions intensely and perceive their surroundings in a much more intense way. This tendency turns them into artists and people capable of creating true works of art, but also into subjects more susceptible to mental disorders.
