The quiz was created by Particular person Variations Analysis labs, which creates assessments based mostly on peer-reviewed scientific analysis. The Tough Particular person Check was impressed by analysis from Chelsea Sleep, PhD, about “darker” character traits. (Sleep doesn’t have any direct involvement with the event of or language within the take a look at and was not instantly out there for remark.)
Primarily, the take a look at goals to measure how simple—or not simple—you’re to get together with by figuring out how strongly you rank on seven key traits of a tough particular person: callousness, grandiosity, aggressiveness, suspicion, manipulativeness, dominance, and risk-taking. That brings up the query, although: Why are these the traits related to being a tough particular person within the first place?
In This Article
- 01 A glance into why these 7 traits would possibly make somebody tough
- 02 7 traits of a tough particular person
A glance into why these 7 traits would possibly make somebody tough
The seven traits highlighted within the tough particular person take a look at might make somebody, nicely, tough as a result of the traits are available in direct opposition to what makes a relationship wholesome, says licensed scientific psychologist Ramani Durvasula, PhD. “On the only stage, all of them are traits which are prone to put an individual at odds with different individuals,” she says. “These are usually not behaviors that lead to what we think about to be the core of a wholesome relationship: respect, kindness, compassion, reciprocity, [and] mutuality.”
As a result of these traits will be dangerous to relationships, taking the tough particular person take a look at to determine the place you land on every may help you be extra aware of your conduct—which, in flip, would possibly promote more healthy relationships.
Dr. Durvasula caveats that irrespective of your take a look at outcomes, it is best to neither really feel unhappy or proud, as a result of it displays however a small a part of you both means. Plus, nobody goes to attain zero on the take a look at, as a result of nobody’s good. And with the assistance of some introspection, your outcomes can spotlight to you the place in your life you may need room for enchancment.
“At some stage, figuring out the place you fall on that scale would possibly truly present you some vulnerabilities.” —psychologist Ramani Durvasula, PhD
“At some stage, figuring out the place you fall on that scale would possibly truly present you some vulnerabilities,” says Dr. Durvasula. “For instance, you understand that there could be hotheadedness, stubbornness, or rigidity… In the event you study that and truly are keen to be weak and self-reflective, you will be extra cautious [of that].”
The 7 key traits measured by the tough particular person take a look at
1. Callousness
Dr. Durvasula says callousness, which is characterised by a scarcity of empathy, could make somebody tough as a result of empathy is a core requirement for wholesome relationships. Extremely callous individuals “have no real interest in the experiences of others,” she provides. “They’re dismissive of the emotional experiences, the damage, or the harms different individuals are going via. They don’t create a protected area for different individuals.”
With out empathy, Dr. Durvasula says, it’s exhausting to determine a wholesome relationship, since you lose the flexibility to create a connection based mostly on vulnerability.
2. Grandiosity
When somebody scores excessive in grandiosity on the Tough Particular person Check, it could mirror a notion that they imagine they’re superior to others.
Whereas a grandiose particular person can be actually alluring as a result of they’ve massive desires, they may also be exhausting to be round. “Grandiose individuals are inclined to suck the oxygen out of the room and hog all the eye,” says Dr. Durvasula. “They suppose every part needs to be about them.” They could be out of contact with actuality, which stifles their interpersonal relationships, Dr. Durvasula provides.
3. Aggressiveness
Somebody excessive in aggressiveness tends to be hostile and impolite towards others, which doesn’t precisely lend itself to being an easy-to-get-along-with particular person—particularly contemplating that these people might stroll right into a room prepared for a verbal altercation.
“Every part’s a combat. They’ve all the time received their fists up, so there is no heat with them,” says Dr. Durvasula. “You stroll in, and it feels already such as you’re headed for a combat, so it is nearly not possible to create wholesome social linkages.”
Being aggressive towards others signifies that individuals work together with you from a spot of worry as a substitute of a spot of collaboration—and, to make certain, that is not an excellent place to be.
4. Suspicion
To not say that you simply shouldn’t be cautious of individuals in the event that they’re displaying indicators they’re untrustworthy, however being unreasonably suspicious isn’t best for getting together with individuals, both. So far as the Tough Particular person Check goes, a excessive rating in suspicion displays somebody having hassle trusting, which is foundational to relationships.
“[Highly suspicious folks] simply actually suppose the worst of individuals—they’re suspicious of everyone,” says Dr. Durvasula. “It is very tough for them to determine belief. They all the time suppose anyone’s working an angle.”
Suspicious individuals might imagine that nobody has their again, that everybody has ulterior motives, or that everybody is out to get them. If you meet somebody like this, particularly in case you haven’t performed something to warrant the suspicion, it’d sign that you will have robust time getting alongside.
5. Manipulativeness
Put merely, individuals who rating excessive on manipulativeness use completely different types of exploitative conduct to get what they need (versus simply asking for assist.)
That is problematic as a result of it often means solely the one who’s manipulating is getting their wants met, says Dr. Durvasula: “As a result of they’re exploitative, they’re consistently making the most of different individuals, getting what they need, and getting what they want, which signifies that different individuals are most likely not getting what they need.”
6. Dominance
Just like aggressiveness, dominance in relationships operates based mostly on worry, says Dr. Durvasula. “In a dominant relationship, there is no fairness. There is no sharing. It is not about connection,” she says. “It is about ruling by worry and one other particular person feeling managed, and it isn’t good for an individual in a relationship. This isn’t a wholesome relationship dynamic.”
7. Danger-taking
Scoring excessive on risk-taking might imply greater than having a powerful sense of journey. Reasonably, it could mirror an individual who seems for tactics to expertise thrills via dangerous conduct or harmful actions.
“Danger-taking falls into one thing we name impulsivity or disinhibition, so it is getting this rise out of doing issues which are harmful,” Dr. Durvasula says. “They’ll’t really feel issues except they’re excessive.” This causes difficulties getting together with others as a result of dangerous actions aren’t meant to attach with others, however meant to make you really feel one thing. Moreover, risk-takers are inclined to get bored simply, which may push them to strain the individuals round them to maintain pushing the envelope in order that the risk-taker can get a rush.
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