If you want to discuss something with a narcissist or psychopath, it is best to do it online. In one of the first studies of this kind, researchers at the University of British Columbia found that such people are traditionally successful manipulators, who are classified as part of the "dark triad" - people with a narcissistic, psychopathic or Machiavellian tendency. Manipulators use people to achieve their goals.
“It turned out that such people are not inclined to send attractive online messages. The results of this study are pretty clear. Once you remove non-verbal cues from the equation, such as body language, it becomes easier to identify a narcissist or psychopath. We can also conclude that the qualities that allow these people to be charming, manipulate, intimidate or exploit others require a live audience presence,”says Michael Woodworth, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
The study, titled "The Dark Side of Negotiation", conducted for about six months, included more than 200 Canadian students of higher education, some of whom were identified as having different qualities of the "dark triad". Communication took place in random order, either live with a contact group, or online. Students were asked to negotiate concert tickets, either as a buyer or seller, with the ultimate goal of achieving maximum financial gain for themselves.
Comparing the findings with other studies, Woodworth concluded that those with more pronounced dark triad characteristics were more successful in face-to-face negotiations than over the Internet. In other words, the more pronounced psychopaths or narcissists were 13% less successful in online conversations than the less pronounced. Each of the parts of the triad is characterized by certain features.
Psychopaths tend to be antisocial and have low empathy. Narcissists are prone to narcissism, and people with Machiavellian qualities are purposeful, calculating manipulators. This study suggests that if you do not want to become a victim of a manipulator, or have more successful negotiations, then it is better to deal with such people on the Internet.