The relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion: The mediating role of intergroup threat and social distance

Márton Hadarics,Anna Kende,Zsolt Péter Szabó

doi:10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1178

Abstract

In our study, we investigated the relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion. Since collective narcissists are motivated to see their group as unique and superior, and tend to show hostility towards outgroups threatening this presumed superiority, we hypothesized that perceived intergroup threat and social distance can mediate the relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion. We tested this assumption in two intergroup contexts by investigating the beliefs of members of the Hungarian majority population about Muslim immigrants and Roma people. Our results showed that collective narcissism had a positive indirect effect on group-based moral exclusion in the case of both outgroups. Furthermore, both threat and social distance were significant mediators in the case of Muslim immigrants, but mostly social distance mediated the indirect effect of collective narcissism on moral exclusion of the Roma. These results indicate that collective narcissists tend to rationalize their intergroup hostility by the mechanism of motivated moral exclusion, and to find suitable justifications for doing so.

Highlights

In our study, we investigated the relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion
The hypothesized four-factor solution, with collective narcissism, social distance, intergroup threat, and moral exclusion represented as separate factors, fitted the data adequately in both groups (Muslim: χ2 = 177.36; df = 59; CFI = .979; RMSEA = .061; SRMR = .037; Roma: χ2 = 217.18; df = 59; CFI = .957; RMSEA = .072; SRMR = .048)
This fit was significantly better than either a two-factor solution with collective narcissism and outgroup beliefs representing two separate factors (Muslim: Δχ2 = 593.52; Δdf = 5; p < .001; Roma: Δχ2 = 335.45; Δdf = 5; p < .001) or a three-factor solution with the items measuring social distance and intergroup threat loading on the same factor (Muslim: Δχ2 = 279.71; Δdf = 3; p < .001; Roma: Δχ2 = 155.17; Δdf = 3; p < .001)

Summary

Introduction

We investigated the relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion. Since collective narcissists are motivated to see their group as unique and superior, and tend to show hostility towards outgroups threatening this presumed superiority, we hypothesized that perceived intergroup threat and social distance can mediate the relationship between collective narcissism and group-based moral exclusion We tested this assumption in two intergroup contexts by investigating the beliefs of members of the Hungarian majority population about Muslim immigrants and Roma people. The recent rise of right-wing populism across Western democracies, or the outcome of the Brexit vote are closely related to the dilemma about where to draw the borders of one’s moral community, about whether ethnic minorities, immigrants, or refugees from war zones are entitled to the same moral treatment and concern as “regular” citizens It seems, decisions about these dilemmas partly depend on beliefs about the ingroup (i.e., the nation), as glorification or narcissistic beliefs about the nation are closely associated with intergroup hostility and exclusion (Kende, Hadarics, & Szabó, 2019; Marchlewska, Cichocka, Panayiotou, Castellanos, & Batayneh, 2018). Research shows that collective narcissism is strongly related to a wide array of negative intergroup attitudes and behavioral intentions (for reviews see Cichocka, 2016; Golec de Zavala, Dyduch-Hazar, & Lantos, 2019)

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Discussion

Conclusion