“Machiavellianism makes for the best literature,” Keltner admits, but he doesn’t have a lot of time for such stories as guides to reality.

It considered the “dark triad personality constellation” – the traits of narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism.

And as it turns out, the other two, narcissism and Machiavellianism, also seem to describe many of the traits we associate with the grifter.