The relationship between narcissism and creativity: A chain/serial mediation model

Abstract

The current study aimed to examine the relationship between narcissism and creativity and the mediating mechanisms of motivation and grit. We used the Super Brief Pathological Narcissism Inventory (SB-PNI), the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS), the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), and the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS) to conduct a longitudinal survey of 455 college students. We hypothesized that grandiose narcissism could positively predict assimilation of information through the chain-mediated effects of approach motivation and perseverance of effort, while vulnerable narcissism could positively predict original interpretation through the chain-mediated effects of avoidance motivation and consistency of interest, and the results validated the proposed hypothesis, In addition, we also found unexpected chain-mediated pathways and discussed them. From this, we conclude that both grandiose/vulnerable narcissism positively predicted creativity, although there was a difference in the predicted creativity types, and the difference was related to the chain mediating effect of different motivation and grit; verifying that motivation and grit play a chain-mediated role in the effect of narcissism on creativity.