Uncovering the Main Personality Traits of People Who Stalk / Harass another Person - Targeted Individuals

I used five of the main Ai platforms (Grok, ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot and Claude) to ask what common personality traits were observed in people who choose to target another person through stalking and harassment. 

All five platforms provided matching, or very similar, responses. The results were extrapolated and cross-referenced to provide the overarching list below.

Forensic psychologists and researchers have identified several recurring personality traits and behavioural patterns among those who target others through harassment and stalking.

But note: not every stalker has every trait, and traits vary widely between individuals and contexts.

I’m sure Targeted Individuals would agree that some, many, or all, of these traits set out below are seen within the people who participate in the group-based or community-based harassment and stalking towards a targeted victim (commonly called Gangstalking or Gang Stalking).

The "Dark Tetrad" is particularly interesting because it is observed how the stalker / harasser is immune to the social / emotional deterrents that would stop most people. Many TIs see the police as being an integral part of the targeting program and many TIs comment online how there is no official deterrent in place that would stop or dissuade the gangstalkers.

Let’s take a look at these main personality traits below.

Obsessiveness and Fixation with the Victim

A persistent, intrusive preoccupation with the victim, often consuming large amounts of time and thought. They have difficulty in letting go, and are often unable to let go, of their perceived connections, grievances or fixations on a person.

High Levels of Narcissism / Narcissistic Personality Traits

A sense of entitlement, grandiosity and self-centredness. The harasser believes they have a right to the target’s attention, time, or affection, regardless of the victim’s wishes.

A Disregard for Personal Boundaries / Failure to Understand Personal Boundaries

Many stalkers struggle with understanding personal boundaries and social norms. They believe personal contact is appropriate without consent. The victim’s resistance is often reframed as a challenge rather than a boundary.

The Need for Power and Control

Harassment and stalking is often about dominance. Many victims report that the person’s primary motivation is dominance rather than a genuine connection or affection.

Lack of Social Skills / Poor Social Intelligence

A person who stalks and harasses a person may be suffering or struggling with social incompleteness, social incompetence and loneliness. They may feel the need to dominate others. Antisocial personality traits are frequently associated with stalking and harassment. The perpetrator has a disregard for others’ rights. Some people who stalk are socially isolated, lacking meaningful relationships outside the fixation.

Emotional Regulation Problems

Harassers/stalkers often have difficulty managing emotions, especially rejection, jealousy, and anger. Traits like rage, unpredictable moods, or impulsive actions often trace back to childhood experiences or disorders such as narcissistic or borderline personality disorder.

Manipulativeness

They may use deception, lies, or calculated actions to influence or intimidate their victim, often to maintain a sense of power.

Lack of Empathy

The person who stalks and / or harasses has a limited ability to recognise or care about the harm they cause to the victim. They have difficulty recognising or caring about the fear, discomfort, distress, alarm or harm they cause and the effects this has on the victim.

Lack of Self-Esteem and an Inability to Handle Rejection

Many stalkers / harassers struggle with accepting the word "no" from the victim - leading to behaviours aimed at reasserting dominance. The concept of “No” is not processed as final. “No” is interpreted as temporary or negotiable, leading to repeated attempts by the stalker to reconnect or control. The stalker may possess low self-esteem masked by their controlling behaviour.

Hostility or Resentment

Some stalkers believe they were wronged and pursue the victim as retaliation. Grievance and resentment are their core drivers. This pattern involves a belief that the target has wronged them. They have ongoing rumination about injustice and a desire to intimidate, punish, or distress the victim. In these cases, the goal is their own moral vindication or revenge and can go on for years, even after the original perceived trigger.

The Dark Tetrad Traits

Recent psychological research frequently points to the Dark Tetrad, a group of four personality traits that, when combined, are highly predictive of predatory behaviour.

What is the Dark Tetrad?

The Dark Tetrad comprises:

1. Narcissism

• Entitlement drives the belief that the victim "owes" them attention
• Rejection is experienced as a profound wound to the ego
• The harassment is often partly about restoring their sense of superiority

2. Machiavellianism

• Strategic, calculated manipulation of the victim and their social circle
• May try to isolate the victim, turn friends against them, or use "flying monkeys"
• Plans their approach — not always impulsive

3. Psychopathy

• Low remorse or guilt about the harm caused
• Thrill-seeking element to the pursuit
• Immune to social/emotional deterrents that would stop most people

4. Sadism (the fourth trait, added to the original "Dark Triad")

• Derives pleasure from the victim's fear, distress, or suffering
• The suffering itself becomes the goal, not just the "relationship"
• Escalation often correlates with sadistic reinforcement — the more distress they cause, the more rewarding it feels

*The Dark Tetrad is an active area of research in forensic psychology.