“A 2014 study found that women rated the same man as more attractive when he had Dark Triad traits. The Dark Triad man was about one standard deviation more attractive than an ordinary man. People (especially young males) have asked me for reasons why some women like guys who are high on these traits. The ‘bodyguard hypothesis’ is a reasonable candidate. In the ancestral environment, women were in the difficult position of trying to obtain a male partner who had the capacity for antagonism and aggression, but would only direct it toward those who threatened them or their offspring. Women had to walk the tightrope of pairing with a man capable of violence, selfishness, and cruelty, but would channel these qualities in ways that would benefit and protect their loved ones and their offspring. Today, some women, when choosing a male partner, overshoot (choosing partners high in DT traits rather than moderate levels) and end up in lethal situations. It’s similar to sugar: small amounts can be adaptive, but if you …”