Activism is increasingly becoming a lifestyle. For some, it is a way to truly change the world; for others, it is an element of identity and daily choices. But how does such engagement affect people? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This question was taken up by Prof. Hannes Zacher from the University of Leipzig. Instead of relying on self-declarations or media images, he decided to check what actually happens to individuals involved in activism over a long period<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The German scientist invited over a thousand volunteers to participate in the study, which involved two rounds of testing a year apart. This allowed researchers to observe not only what the participants were like at the beginning but also how their behavior and character traits changed over time as their involvement in activist activities<\/a>\u2014such as organizations “defending the Earth”\u2014grew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The researchers looked not only at activist attitudes themselves but also at which character traits had the greatest influence on the participants’ behavior. Particular attention was paid to the so-called Dark Triad of personality<\/strong>\u2014a set of traits that has sparked controversy in psychology for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes narcissism<\/strong> (a strong need for admiration and a belief in one’s own uniqueness), Machiavellianism<\/strong> (associated with manipulating others and focusing on one’s own benefits), and psychopathy<\/a><\/strong> (understood as a lack of empathy and a tendency toward impulsive, antisocial behavior). <\/p>\n\n\n\n But the analysis did not stop there. The scientists also checked levels of aggression toward elites, attitudes toward censorship<\/strong>, and so-called anti-conventionalism<\/strong>\u2014the opposition to commonly accepted social norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The study showed that the Dark Triad of personality has a real impact on what activism looks like and who gets involved in it. This is best seen in the example of Machiavellianism. Individuals prone to strategic thinking and manipulating others were significantly more likely to find their way into activist activities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, that is not all. Participation in activism itself also raised the level of Machiavellianism in the subjects. In other words, activism not only attracts certain types of people but may also strengthen these traits during the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And this is only the beginning of the more surprising observations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Latest research published on the scientific platform ScienceDirect<\/a><\/em> presents a strong thesis. According to the German scientist, participation in environmental actions can also raise narcissism levels over time. Where does this effect come from? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers point to a simple mechanism: individuals involved in activism begin to perceive themselves as exceptional, or even morally superior<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nActivists under the scientist’s microscope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What did the researchers examine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Machiavellianism works both ways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Narcissism grows over time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n