Abstract
Social networking sites (SNSs) have provided a new platform for people to present their narcissism. The objective of the current study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms between active and passive SNS use and vulnerable narcissism among college students. In achieving this, the study based its method on the media effect and social comparative theory and recruited 529 participants to complete the Surveillance Use Scale, Iowa–Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and Hypersensitivity Narcissistic Scale. The results showed that active and passive SNS use were positively related to upward and downward social comparisons. Active and passive SNS use also indirectly predicted vulnerable narcissism through the parallel mediation of upward and downward social comparisons. This study also revealed the vital role of social comparison in the association between SNS use and vulnerable narcissism.
Highlights
Narcissism, as a dimensional personality trait, reflects an inflated self-concept and behaviors that intend to maintain this self-concept in the face of reality (Morf and Rhodewalt, 2001)
Active and passive social networking sites (SNSs) use were positively associated with vulnerable narcissism (r = 0.104, p < 0.05; r = 0.094, p < 0.05), upward social comparison (r = 0.156, p < 0.001; r = 0.11, p < 0.05), and downward social comparison (r = 0.089, p < 0.05; r = 0.106, p < 0.05)
Upward and downward social comparisons were positively associated with vulnerable narcissism (r = 0.2, p < 0.001; r = 0.255, p < 0.001)
Summary
Narcissism, as a dimensional personality trait, reflects an inflated self-concept and behaviors that intend to maintain this self-concept in the face of reality (Morf and Rhodewalt, 2001). Research has distinguished two forms of narcissism, namely, the grandiose and vulnerable subtypes (Wink, 1991). These subtypes are significantly different despite their shared commonalities, which refer to feelings of superiority and antagonism, in essence (Krizan and Herlache, 2018). In comparison with grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissists tend to report higher interpersonal distress (Dickinson and Pincus, 2003), have poorer cognitive flexibility (Ng et al, 2014), and rely more on social feedback mechanisms to regulate themselves (Zeigler-Hill et al, 2008). People with grandiose narcissism often make positive self-disclosures in communication, while those with vulnerable narcissism use more objective and indirect communication methods to fulfill their needs (Ozimek et al, 2017). Studies have found a close relationship between Facebook use and vulnerable narcissism (Ozimek et al, 2018)
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