The Dark Side

Psychologists use the phrase “the dark triad” to refer to narcissists, Machiavellians, and sociopaths. These types represent the dark side of emotional intelligence: such people can be very good at cognitive empathy, but lack emotional empathy – not to mention empathic concern. For instance, by definition a sociopath does not care at all about the human consequences of their lie or manipulation, and has no regrets about inflicting cruelty. Their feelings of any kind are very shallow; brain imaging reveals a thinning of the areas that connect the emotional centers to the prefrontal cortex. Their particular deficits map many aspects of the emotional intelligence abilities³¹.

The Sociopath’s Brain

Sociopaths have deficits in several areas key to emotional intelligence: the anterior cingulate, the orbitofrontal cortex, the amygdala and insula, and in the connectivity of these regions to other parts of the brain.

While extreme sociopaths are known for their cold-blooded crimes, the sub-clinical types of sociopaths are recognizable in organizational life. One is the bullying, “kiss-up-kick-down” boss, who can be quite charming to superiors, but abusive to direct reports and a petty tyrant in general. Another is the embezzler, an outright crook (think Bernie Madoff). And the third, in a mild form, is the freeloader personified in the comic strip Dilbert by Wally, the guy who always holds a coffee cup and never does a lick of work.