NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

CALLOUS



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
Emotionally hardened

SIMILAR FLAWS:
Cold, cold-hearted, frigid, icy, unfeeling

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
A history of abuse
Growing up with an emotionally unavailable or distant caregiver
Parents who modeled a lack of compassion or empathy
Bullying that left one scarred
A past trauma that one avoids dealing with by disconnecting all feeling
Repeated exposure to violence or callous behavior
Addiction

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
A lack of remorse
Disregarding the needs of others
Impersonal interactions (not asking for or offering personal information, etc.)
Manipulation
Dishonesty
A lack of empathy
Refusing to accept emotional responsibility or show mercy
Maintaining relationships that are superficial
Expressing frustration and disdain at the perceived neediness of others
Independence and self-reliance
An aversion to physical touch
A reluctance to express emotion
Distrust
Negativity
Not feeling the need for creativity or self-expression
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLES FROM LITERATURE:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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