The Machiavellianism category explores a personality trait centered on strategy, manipulation, and calculated social behavior.
The concept takes its name from Niccolò Machiavelli, whose writings on power and political survival, particularly in The Prince, sparked centuries of debate about whether success sometimes rewards cunning more than virtue.
Modern psychology borrowed his name to describe individuals who approach social situations like a chessboard, favoring careful planning, emotional detachment, and a pragmatic view of human nature.