This website lets you find out your level of Machiavellianism, with the aim of communicating our research to the public. Click the link above and fill out the survey in the Test Yourself tab to get your scores compared to other people who have completed the scale (normative data). You can also optionally contribute your completely anonymous data to ongoing research into understanding Machiavellianism.

Based on the teachings of Machiavelli (Prince and Discourses; 1513), Machiavellianism has been used widely to explain interpersonal exploitation, consequentialist morality styles, and misanthropy. There are two dimensions: the views dimension (capturing a cynical view of humanity, seeing them as weak, manipulative, and untrustworthy) and the tactics dimension (capturing one's willingness to endorse interpersonal exploitation for the purpose of achieving a goal - the ends justify the means). Everyone sits somewhere on these dimensions, and by selecting the options to the left, you can:

  • Read more about Machiavellianism

  • Learn about your Machiavellianism

  • Participate in current scientific research

  • Learn more about the research team

  • If you are a site developer, you can access the RShiny skeleton code for this site

  • If you are a researcher, you can download information on the scale and the accompanying data


The Scale

The Two-Dimensional Machiavellianism Scale (TDMS) comprises several questions to measure both dimensions (views and tactics) of Machaivellianism, developed by Dr Conal Monaghan, Dr Boris Bizumic, Dr Todd Williams, and Dr Martin Sellbom (2020). Your score will be calculated using classical test theory (approach comparing your score to a normed sample) and item response theory which estimates your level of Machiavellianism based on a different set of underlying assumptions. Please remember the Two-Dimensional Machiavellianism Scale is not a clinical measure and should not be used to identify psychopathology.