Short Dark Triad (SD3) Test

Understand patterns tied to manipulation, ego-inflation, and callous impulsivity in about 5 minutes. A fast 27 item screen that clarifies interpersonal risk and supports targeted follow up.

Start Online Test

Questions: 275 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

15,035 views

1,702 completions

1,013 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

3/5

Psychopathy (P)

Measures tendencies toward impulsivity, callousness, selfishness, and antisocial or aggressive behavior in everyday settings.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 1.7: Low | 1.8 – 3: Moderate | 3.1 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a situational tendency toward impulsive or emotionally detached behavior without it being strongly pronounced overall.

example score

3/5

Narcissism (N)

Measures the tendency toward grandiosity and a need for admiration, along with reduced consideration for others' feelings and needs.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.2: Low | 2.3 – 3.5: Moderate | 3.6 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a balanced-to-notable desire for recognition and self-importance that may occasionally outweigh attention to others’ needs.

example score

3/5

Machiavellianism (M)

Measures the tendency to use strategic manipulation, cynicism about morality, and self-interested, calculating behavior in relationships.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.8: Low | 2.9 – 4.1: Moderate | 4.2 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a situationally pragmatic and self-protective approach that may include occasional strategic influence rather than consistently manipulative behavior.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Self-insight seekers

41%OF USERS

People curious about their own darker traits take it to better understand how they come across and why they clash with others.

Psychology students and researchers

34%OF USERS

Students and researchers use it as a quick, standardized way to measure Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy in studies or coursework.

Relationship and workplace navigators

25%OF USERS

Those dealing with manipulative or self-centered behavior at work or in dating take it to spot patterns and set clearer boundaries.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Psychopathy (P)

Average

3.2

Normal range

2.6 — 3.7

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Narcissism (N)

Average

3.4

Normal range

2.8 — 4

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Machiavellianism (M)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.2 — 3.6

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Start Online Test

Featured On

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

- Strongly disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Not sure
- Somewhat agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Not sure
- Somewhat agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Not sure
- Somewhat agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 27 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

Start Online Test

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Short Dark Triad Questionnaire, SD3 Test

Short Dark Triad (SD3) Test - Symptoms and Signs

machiavellianism

narcissism

psychopathy

dark triad

This self-report measure is designed to provide a brief screening of socially aversive personality traits. The Short Dark Triad (SD3) assesses three related constructs commonly referred to as the dark triad: Machiavellianism, subclinical narcissism, and subclinical psychopathy.

Respondents rate their agreement with brief statements, yielding scale scores that can be used to summarize a personality profile for research or clinical-informed contexts where rapid trait estimation is needed. Developed by Kevin M. Williams, it contains 27 items and typically requires about 5 minutes to complete. The Short Dark Triad (SD3) is not a diagnostic instrument and should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical judgment and other assessment data.

Author: Delroy L. Paulhus, Kevin M. Williams

Literature: Paulhus, D. L., & Williams, K. M. The dark triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Journal of Research in Personality. 2002.; Jones, D. N., & Paulhus, D. L. Introducing the Short Dark Triad (SD3): A brief measure of dark personality traits. Assessment. 2014.