Let me start off by saying that I don’t believe there is any such thing as low-value people. But there certainly are low-value behaviors. 

You may have seen the very popular and multi-award winning 2023 Korean-American series, Beef, on Netflix. The show is about two strangers whose involvement in a road rage incident escalates into a prolonged feud that compels them to engage in all sorts of toxic, and even dangerous, behavior. 

Low-value behavior knows no status. The Danny Cho character is a struggling contractor while the Amy Lau character is a more well-off and “sophisticated” business owner. 

Some of the low-value behavior includes Amy catfishing Paul on Instagram and Paul tracking down Amy’s license plate number and using his role as a contractor to enter her home to take his revenge.

This reel life scenario might seem out there (it is entertainment, after all), but there are some classic low-value behaviors that some people in real life may have a habit of engaging in, according to psychology. 

Here are five of them. 

1) They try to control situations and people 

We try to control what happens in our own lives to a certain extent, and that’s normal. 

But when a person tries to control elements or all of someone else’s life, well that’s considered a whole other ball game. 

These people might try to control a person or situation by taking charge and doing everything themselves. This could be through manipulation, coercion, threats, and intimidation, say Jennifer Huizen (with Karen Gepp, PsyD). 

People may come into contact with these low-value behaviors from people from different parts of their life. They can be partners, friends, family, bosses, coworkers, strangers, and neighbors. 

“These people may wish to control those close to them, such as their partner or family, or gain power and control over larger groups of people.”

Just as in my introductory example, road rage is a low-value behavior that can be about control. 

“For some road racers, it’s a need for control, to counter other drivers whom they feel violate their proxemic space, or it’s a need for possession of their lane or their part of the road,” says Steve Albrecht DBA, from Psychology Today. 

“For others, it’s unchecked anger and aggression. It’s hormone-based, primitive, small-brain thinking, bringing a lack of emotional intelligence and the need to dominate someone else and their unshareable space.”

Albrecht says that you can add in an unchecked ego, the need for superiority, narcissistic pride—and well, you have a recipe for low-value behavior. 

2) They will gossip about people behind their backs—including their “best” friend

I think most of us are guilty of engaging in idle gossip from time to time even though we know we shouldn’t.

There are also people for whom gossip is what makes the world go round, and they’re always interested to hear or share what they know about someone. 

Gossip is information shared about an absent third party, says Jack Schaefer, PhD. 

“Gossip differs from the human tendency to talk about other people in that gossip tends to focus on negative information to demean the target.”

Some people gossip to have their feelings about a person they don’t like, validated. Schaefer says that people who don’t like a certain person, for example, will seek out other people who share a mutual dislike for the same person. Conversations will center on negative evaluations of that person. 

The dislike for the target of the gossip is validated and justifies revengeful and hurtful behavior, he says. 

Similar to the desire to be in control, gossiping is a low-value behavior because people enjoy it for the sense of power it gives them. 

“People want to be seen as being in the know when it comes to the latest gossip about others,” says Schaefer. 

“If knowledge is power, gossip is turbocharged power. In order to display their power and reinforce their egos, people must share the information with other individuals.”

3) They don’t really think lying is a big deal

Most of us will tell a white lie once in a while. It might be to get out of something, to avoid conflict, or to protect someone else’s feelings, for example. 

Then there are those who have a habit of lying.

Low-value people know that lying is morally wrong in theory, but that doesn’t stop them from using it as a means to an end. 

“When we lie, we generally do it in order to lead someone astray,” says Andrea M. Darcy from Harley Therapy.

“We have the intent that they don’t know something that we do.”

Low-value people want to use this information to their advantage. This is why even white lies are still lies. It’s because we tell them on purpose. It’s the intent to lead someone astray. 

It’s important to note that mental health issues might be an underlying cause for pathological liars—people who lie frequently and have a compulsion to do so—say the staff at Newport Institute, a mental health treatment center. 

“Pathological liars can’t stop lying even when it causes psychological distress, puts them in danger, and creates problems in relationships, work, or other aspects of daily life.”

4) Sarcasm is their only sense of humor

My late grandmother had a biting sense of humor—and it was often sarcastic. She was witty in other ways: she had a dry sense of humor and was always on-the-ready with a funny retort or observation. 

“Some believe that sarcasm is a sign of high intelligence,” Sarah Swenson, MA, LMHC from Good Therapy. 

But sarcasm isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. 

“Well-developed wit is insightful, showing us the world in a slightly new way. Great wit is a high art.”

Sarcasm isn’t humor, says Swenson. “It’s hostility. It’s designed to make people feel bad.”

Sarcasm can be an indication of low self-worth, adds Dr. Sherri Jacobson from Harley Therapy. 

“Humor is about grabbing attention. When you use sarcasm to get it, you aren’t making people laugh because you are funny, but because if they don’t laugh they will feel bad. It’s negative attention.”

Jacobson says that the reason some people might be willing to receive negative attention is generally because deep down, that is the sort of attention we think we deserve. 

If sarcasm is your mainstay, then it might be worth asking yourself: Who would I be without sarcasm?

“It’s a good question to ask,” says Jacobson. “Sometimes we are so used to being the sarcastic one that our identity is tied up with it. It makes us feel special. Without it, we run the risk of being boring. Or just like everyone else.”

5) They are always in attack mode 

I used to work with a woman who would argue about pretty much anything. 

If you had an opinion about something, she would try to “one better” you and with an opinion of her own which was often the opposite point of view. 

While some people like to debate ideas and opinions, some people argue out of habit, says the team at Health Psychology Consultancy. 

“They can’t help themselves and will make a fuss about the most trivial things, just to cause conflict. This can drive throes around them up the wall because they are almost always on the defensive, even about what might seem like the most insignificant things.”

The argumentative personality types tend to find fault with you or a situation just so that they can engage you in a pointless conflict. 

Remember that like attracts like…

While all of us will come across people who choose low-value behavior, be mindful of how much you engage with them on a day-to-day basis.

“High value individuals attract other high value individuals,” says the team at Art of Charm, a lifestyle coaching platform. 

“So if we start focusing on ourselves, becoming high value, and giving people value instead of taking value from them, we’re going to start attracting better people.”