Ex-partners of 'red pill guys' share four common warning signs that you're dating one

A study examining the behaviours of so-called 'red pill guys' has revealed the common warning signs which suggest you could be dating one.

Originally a plot device from 1999 sci-fi classic The Matrix, taking the red pill has since become a saying which has been co-opted by online communities that share toxic views regarding women and relationships.

In the film, taking the red pill allows Neo to wake up from the matrix and learn the uncomfortable truth about the world whereas in men's rights communities the term is used to denote 'waking up' to the idea that the modern world is created for the benefit of women.

The term originates from 1999 sci-fi classic The Matrix (Getty Stock Image)

Various studies on the rising usage of the term have been conducted in recent years, with a recent study - published in the journal Personal Relationships - looking at how people who subscribe to the 'Red Pill' theory link to the 'Dark Triad' (DT) personality traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy.

Conducting the study via a series of interviews with women who are active on the Reddit community r/TheBluePill, which seeks to critique ideas shared by Red Pill communities, the authors spoke to six women between the ages of 20 to 38 who'd experienced relationships with 'Red Pill men'.

Here are the four similarities found in each of the women's experiences.

The similarities were as follows: relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances and DT-associated behaviours.

The study was conducted from interviews with six women (Getty Stock Images)

Commonalities among the six women included a tactic referred to as 'love bombing' which sees a partner seek to gain control over a partner through the use of excessive affection and attention. The women added this tactic was also used as a method to speed up the pace at which the relationship moved.

The study also revealed that sex was a key priority for the men in these relationships, with several of the women feeling 'pressured' to conform to their partners' expectations.

Emotional manipulation was also a common feature in the relationships, with tactics such as 'coaxing' or 'guilt tripping' used by Red Pill men to manipulate their partners.

"TRP men consistently displayed self-interest and willingness to use manipulation to meet their needs, portraying themselves to their partners and the world as successful while callously disregarding partners’ emotions in their pursuit of sex or social desirability," the study noted.

The four warning signs included relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances and Dark Triad-associated behaviours (Getty Stock Image)

The final common theme between the men was a preoccupation with image, including looks, social status and outward appearances.

Several of the women who took part in the study noted their partners' preoccupation with showcasing career achievements in order to appear more outwardly attractive - a trait which is found in DT personality types.