New evidence shows self-esteem moderates the relationship between narcissism and selfies

Abstract

Recent statistics show that millions of ‘selfies’ (defined as a self-portrait taken with a hand-held smart phone or camera) are posted on social media every day, and research has shown trait narcissism as a stable positive predictor of this behaviour. However, results regarding subtypes of narcissism and self-esteem as predictors are limited and inconsistent. As such, the current study sought to extend this research by exploring the utility of subtypes of narcissism, individual self-esteem, and interactions between narcissism and self-esteem in predicting posting selfies. Two hundred and fifty-seven participants (22% men and 78% women) completed an online questionnaire including the 40-item Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-40), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a measure of selfie posting frequency. Results showed that higher levels of grandiose-exhibitionism narcissism and lower levels of self-esteem were associated with posting more selfies. Importantly, self-esteem was found to moderate the relationship between grandiose-exhibitionism narcissism and posting selfies. Specifically, the relationship between grandiose narcissism and posting selfies on social media was only significant when self-esteem was low or average. Results of the current study significantly contribute towards understanding the association between selfies and narcissism, showing that self-esteem may play a more fundamental role than previously thought.