Dark Personality Traits in Classical Music

This video explores the possibility that the so-called dark tetrad personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—are not only found in individuals, but may also be embedded in the institutional practices of classical music. Drawing on cultural psychology, personality psychology, and the history of art music, I ask whether certain personality traits can become institutionalised through the structures, values, and practices of a cultural field. RECEIVE UPDATES ON MY UPCOMING BOOK ON CLASSICAL MUSIC AND DARK PERSONALITY TRAITS https://rebeckaahvenniemi.com/classic... TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro: Secret degree in psychology 01:42 Toxic behaviour as institutionalised traits 03:14 The Dark Triad/ The Dark Tetrad 04:29 Connections: Dark Tetrad traits and Classical Music 07:52 The "music is innocent" cover-up 11:05 My artistic research: Classical Ego 12:30 Cultural personality psychology 14:40 Definitions: personality disorders 15:35 "Personality Disorders" by Allan V. Horwitz 16:08 DSM-V 16:44 The ethical aspect: undesirable traits 17:21 Urbanization and individualism 17:42 Character, before personality 19:11 The Antiquity: character types 21:14 The flatterer and the sycophant 23:00 Karen Horney: The Neurotic Personality of Our Time 23:57 The conflict in art music 24:41 Dark personality traits thrive 27:00 My upcoming book LITERATURE MENTIONED Goehr, L. (2007). The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essay in the Philosophy of Music. Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1992). Horney, K (1994). The Neurotic Personality of Our Time. W. W. Norton & Company. (Original work published 1937). Horwitz, A. V. (2023). Personality Disorders. Johns Hopkins University Press. McClary, S. (1991). Feminine dndings: Music, gender, and sexuality. University of Minnesota Press. Theophrastus. (319 BC). Characters. Shepherd, J. (1987). Music and male hegemony. In R. Leppert & S. McClary (Eds.), Music and Society. The Politics of Composition, performance and reception (pp. 151–172). Cambridge University Press. Ramstedt, A. (2024). Classical Music, Misconduct, and Gender: A Feminist Study on Social Imaginaries and Women Musicians’ Experiences of Gender Inequality in Finland [Doctoral dissertation, University of Helsinki]. MUSIC Ahvenniemi, R. S. (2026) Classical Ego [Song].    • R. S. Ahvenniemi - Classical Ego (Official...   Samples from Splice Sound Library IMAGES Mart Production: Explore a beautifully designed classic corridor with stunning arches and columns (2021) from: pexels.com VIDEO MANUSCRIPT, FILMING, AND EDITING Rebecka Sofia Ahvenniemi