Grandiose Narcissists Research Articles

Grandiose or vulnerable? Narcissism subtype differentiates materialistic pursuit

The study sought the unravel the differential materialistic tendencies of narcissists as a function of their grandiosity and vulnerability (GN and VN). We propose that self-esteem lies at core of materialistic behavior and hypothesize that any differential GN/VN and materialism relationship is influenced by the nature of association between self-esteem and GN/VN. Two empirical studies were conducted. Study – 1 examined the mediating role of self – esteem among working managers (n = 327). Further, in Study – 2, the shopping cart of a large group (n = 233) of regular Amazon shoppers was profiled for purchase patterns in an online shopping task. In Study – 1, it was observed that self-esteem significantly mediated the effects of the grandiose and vulnerable narcissism onto materialism. Further, in Study – 2, it was observed that, grandiose (vulnerable) narcissists primarily purchased branded (trendy) products, of higher (lower) average price per product, and spent a larger (smaller) proportion of their money in buying costly products. The research summarizes self-esteem related differences between grandiose and vulnerable narcissists and sheds light on the different motivational basis to this materialistic tendency. The findings further challenge extant ideas concerning the relationship between narcissists and their association with prominent brands.

Putting self at stake by telling a story: Storyteller's narcissistic traits modulate physiological emotional reactions to recipient's disengagement.

Telling a story to a disengaged recipient induces stress and threatens positive self-image. In this study, we investigated whether storytellers with overly positive and fragile self-images (e.g., individuals with grandiose and vulnerable narcissism) would show heightened behavioral, emotional, and psychophysiological reactivity to recipient disengagement.Building on Bavelas, Coates, and Johnson [1] we conducted a conversational experiment instructing the participants to tell about a "close call" experience to a previously unknown co-participant. We modified the co-participant's level of interactional engagement by asking them either to listen to the story carefully or to simultaneously carry out a counting task that distracted them from the content of the story. We found that the distraction condition was unrelated to the storytellers' narration performance, but a significant positive association was found between the story-recipients' observed lack of affiliation and the tellers' narration performance. The distraction of recipients was also associated with increased self-reported arousal in the tellers, indicating disengagement-induced stress in the tellers. Moreover, tellers higher in grandiose narcissism reacted with higher skin conductance response to disengagement, and vulnerable narcissism was associated with higher heart rate during narration in general. Our experiment thus showed that grandiose narcissists are emotionally sensitive to their co-participants' disengagement.

CEO narcissism and the agency cost of debt

This study investigates the relationship between CEO narcissism and debt financing costs, highlighting a potential trade-off between leadership traits and firm financial well-being. While prior research has identified potential benefits associated with narcissistic CEOs, such as enhanced innovation, we demonstrate that such leadership incurs higher borrowing costs, as evidenced by elevated bond yields in firms led by narcissistic executives. This effect is amplified for grandiose narcissists, suggesting that investors are particularly wary of their risk-taking tendencies. Leveraging a natural experiment, we establish a robust causal link between narcissism and debt costs, revealing higher bond yield premiums demanded by investors in firms with narcissistic CEOs. These findings underscore the critical importance of considering CEO personality traits, particularly narcissism when evaluating corporate governance practices and ensuring optimal alignment with stakeholders' interests.

Those Who Gift Only Themselves: An Analysis of Gifted Narcissists as Ultimate Self-Transactionalists

ABSTRACT Researchers have argued that many leaders, such as CEOs and politicians, tend to possess narcissistic traits. At healthy and productive levels, narcissistic traits, such as self-promotion, may actually be an advantage to achieving success in some fields. Yet, few researchers have explored gifted narcissists as a twice-exceptionality. This article discusses the gifted narcissist profile and grandiose narcissism in particular. Following a brief introduction to key terms, the gifted narcissist profile is explored through the augmented theory of successful intelligence. The impact of giftedness on individuals with a narcissistic personality disorder is discussed in terms of positive and negative effects. Presidents, autocratic leaders, and cult leaders are presented as examples of gifted grandiose narcissists.

Narcissism predicts noise perception but not signal decoding in emotion

Grandiose narcissists claim that they have better-than-average emotion recognition abilities, but many objective tests do not support this claim. We sought to clarify the relation between grandiose (both agentic and communal) narcissism and emotion recognition by taking a closer look at the components of emotion recognition. In two studies (N1 = 147, N2 = 520), using culturally distinct samples and different stimulus materials, we investigated the relation between grandiose narcissism and signal decoding (accurate view of the intended emotion displayed in an expression) as well as noise perception (inaccurate deciphering of secondary emotions that are not part of the emotional message). Narcissism was inconsistently related to signal decoding, but consistently and positively related to noise perception. High grandiose (agentic and communal) narcissists are not necessarily better at signal decoding, but are more susceptible to noise perception. We discuss implications for narcissists’ social interactions and interpersonal relationships.

Intelligent grandiose narcissists are less likely to exhibit narcissistic rivalry

Grandiose narcissism is considered a multidimensional construct that consists of admiration (self-promotion tendencies) and rivalry (self-defensive tendencies) subdimensions. It has been suggested that admiration is a default narcissistic mode, whereas rivalry is more reactive. Based on two samples, a previous moderation investigation found that at lower levels of objective (sample 1) and subjective (sample 2) intelligence, the association between narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry was stronger, in comparison to at higher levels of intelligence. Given the positive correlation between objectively and subjectively measured intelligence, it remains to be determined if both effects are statistically significant moderators of the association between admiration and rivalry. Based on a mixed sample of undergraduates and community members (N = 422) who completed both the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire, as well as a battery of intelligence measures and subjective indicators of intelligence, we found that only objectively measured intelligence moderated negatively (semi-partial r = −0.23) the association between admiration and rivalry. We conclude that beyond an IQ of approximately 115 to 120, the association between narcissistic admiration and rivalry is greatly diminished, suggesting that higher levels of objective intelligence (through greater life achievements) may mitigate the development of narcissistic rivalry in grandiose narcissists.

Is shame responsible for maladaptive daydreaming among grandiose and vulnerable narcissists? A general population study

Previous studies suggest that narcissists are tied to fantasies that bolster their self-esteem when they feel threatened. Vulnerable narcissists, in particular, might be at risk of developing maladaptive daydreaming (MD) in that they tend to experience high levels of shame, which turns out to be closely associated with MD. We hypothesized an effect of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits on MD, which was expected to be mediated by shame levels among vulnerable narcissists. A community sample of 357 participants (66.70 % females; Mage = 32.17 ± 13.41) was recruited. The assessed structural model produced adequate fit to the data [χ2 = 230.77, df = 100, p < .001; RMSEA = 0.06 (90 % C.I. = 0.05–0.07), CFI = 0.96, SRMR = 0.06]. Vulnerable narcissism predicted MD through characterological shame. Conversely, it seems that bodily shame is not dealt with MD among vulnerable narcissists. Grandiose narcissism was associated with MD to a lesser extent, and MD seems to be a dysfunctional but effective strategy to reduce characterological shame for grandiose narcissists - whilst the opposite seems to be true for vulnerable narcissists. Individuals with vulnerable narcissistic traits may benefit from clinical interventions that address their tendencies to daydream to alleviate feelings of shame.

Cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress in vulnerable and grandiose narcissists: An exploratory study.

Narcissistic personality manifests itself in at least two different forms: grandiose and vulnerable. In the present study, we compared cortisol and emotional responses to psychosocial stress between subjects high in vulnerable and grandiose narcissism scores, and examined possible associations between narcissism, other personality traits, and stress responses. We hypothesized that subjects with higher scores of vulnerable narcissism would show stronger emotional and physiological reactivity than those with high scores of grandiose narcissism. A final sample of forty-seven participants underwent a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels, and completed several personality questionnaires. Consistent with our hypothesis, subjects with higher scores of vulnerable narcissism had a stronger cortisol and emotional response than those with high scores of grandiose narcissism. Vulnerable narcissism was positively correlated with schizotypal traits, while grandiose narcissism was positively correlated with psychopathic traits. Participants with a mixed-type of narcissism were also discussed. This study provides the first evidence of differential physiological and emotional reactivity to social evaluation threat according to scores of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism. Since this is an exploratory study, the results must be interpreted with caution. However, the results will be informative for future confirmatory research with larger and more heterogeneous samples.

Situational and Trait Self-Handicapping among Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissist

Self-handicapping is an effective strategy for self-enhancement and self-protection in situations in which one’s self-image is evaluated. Previous studies have shown that grandiose narcissists use self-handicapping for self-enhancement, while research on vulnerable narcissists’ use of self-handicapping is still scarce. In this study, we examined trait, behavioural, and proclaimed self-handicapping among the two forms of narcissism. After questionnaire measures were collected, a total of 105 individuals participated in the experimental study, in which they were led to believe they would be doing a hard or an easy ability test. The results showed that grandiose narcissism was only related to trait self-handicapping in achievement situations, while vulnerable narcissism was related to self-handicapping in interpersonal and achievement situations. Experimental results showed that participants did not seize the opportunity for behavioural or proclaimed self-handicapping. Moreover, the use of these strategies was not related to vulnerable or grandiose narcissism. The results are here discussed in the context of self-image maintenance dynamics of individuals with different levels of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism as well as methodological aspects of the study, and the validity of the concept of self-handicapping

Narcissistic motivations to help during the COVID-19 quarantine

We examined the extent to which trait narcissism was associated with helping behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that people higher in agentic grandiose narcissism would help during the COVID-19 quarantine for egoistic reasons and that communal grandiose narcissists would help because they care for the people in the community. Because vulnerable narcissists tend to self-protect, we expected them to be less helpful overall and report helping to either make themselves feel better or avoid social disapproval. We found supporting evidence such that agentic grandiose narcissists reported helping in a greater number of ways because they were motivated by self-promotion while communal narcissists helped in more ways because they were motivated by concern for others. Vulnerable narcissists reported doing less to help others and a lack of concern for others. Further, we found that the extent to which grandiose narcissists communicated more frequently about their various helping efforts was associated with increased state grandiose narcissism. These findings emphasize the self-focused nature of narcissistic personalities while highlighting unique differences between the narcissistic subtypes.

A closer look at grandiose narcissism: A revised version of the narcissistic personality inventory using a single-stimulus Likert format among Chinese adolescents and adults

Despite its extensive use and profound impact, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI; Raskin & Terry, 1988) has been continuously criticized on its forced-choice format, questionable contents and unstable structure. This research mainly aimed to (a) untangle main issues of the NPI and develop a revised version (NPI-r; NPI-rb as its brief variant), (b) offer insights into psychometric properties of the Likert-style NPI and the nuanced structure of grandiose narcissism, and (c) provide a closer look at grandiose narcissists by comparing their self- versus informant-report profiles. Bi-factor exploratory structural equation modelling and comparison of nomological networks of the NPI versions were performed with two Chinese samples (N1 = 317 adults, age M = 26.9, SD = 6.1, 48% male; N2 = 269 adolescents, age M = 16.8, SD = 0.7, 49% male, with 142 informants). Results recommended the NPI-r and NPI-rb as better versions with improved psychometric properties and content validity. This research also underscored the unique roles of specific narcissistic traits, and found nomological networks of NPI versions in China consistent with previous evidence using Caucasian samples. Notably, the discrepancy between narcissists' self-report and informant-perceived profiles suggested some caution about the credibility of self-report data in narcissism studies.

The relation of individual and collective narcissism and belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories: the moderating effects of need for uniqueness and belonging

The Covid-19 pandemic not only led to chaos and uncertainty, it also brought about many conspiracy theories. In the last two decades, with considerable amount of research, social psychologists have begun to unravel the personality traits underlying conspiracy theories. One such trait is narcissism where the need to distinguish oneself from others might be satisfied by holding beliefs that are different from the general population. In this research, we focus, for the first time in the literature, on both collective and grandiose narcissism’s predictive effects on Covid-19 conspiracy theories and the possible moderation of need for uniqueness (feeling oneself to be special and different from others) and belonging (feeling oneself to be part of a larger and worthy whole). In a Turkish sample (N = 309), we found that both collective and grandiose narcissism were significant predictors of Covid-19 conspiracy. In addition, when the need to feel special was high, grandiose narcissists, but not collective narcissists, tended to believe in Covid-19 conspiracies. Finally, we found that generic conspiracy beliefs were also important predictors of Covid-19 conspiracy theories. Our research illuminates the link between narcissism and Covid-19 conspiracy theories. Future research should look for other possible moderating factors between collective narcissism and conspiracy beliefs in the context of Covid-19.

Impact of online anonymity on aggression in ostracized grandiose and vulnerable narcissists

Narcissism is as an important predictor of aggression, and grandiose narcissists are generally more aggressive than vulnerable narcissists after being ostracized. Online environments have become increasingly important, so although it is essential to consider the impact of ostracism on narcissists' aggression online as well as offline, the former has yet to be considered in the literature. We recruited 240 students from two Chinese universities and conducted two experiments exploring the relationship between traditional and cyberaggression among narcissists. Study 1 explored the face-to-face aggression of grandiose and vulnerable narcissists after in-person peer ostracism. Study 2 explored the cyberaggression of grandiose and vulnerable narcissists after cyberostracism. We used an online game to construct cyberostracism and cyberinclusion conditions, and an adapted project employee evaluation to estimate cyberaggression and determine how it is impacted by online anonymity. The results showed that ostracized vulnerable narcissists were less aggressive than grandiose narcissists in face-to-face conditions, but showed increased indirect anonymous cyberaggression, at a similar level to grandiose narcissists. These results confirm the results of previous studies and help us gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of aggression in narcissists.

Narcissistic individuals exhibit poor recognition memory.

Here, we examine face memory among individuals who are self-focused and care little about others' needs: grandiose narcissists. Given narcissistic individuals' excessive self-focus and tendency to disregard the needs of others, they may struggle to recognize faces and their surrounding environment. Indeed, narcissistic individuals demonstrated worse recognition memory than non-narcissistic individuals in recognition memory tests for faces (Studies 1 [N=332] and 2 [N=261]). This difference also occurred for nonsocial stimuli (i.e., objects, houses, cars), suggesting a broad recognition deficit (Study 3A [N=178], 3B [N=203], 3C [N=274]). Narcissistic individuals' excessive self-focus predicted this memory deficit (Study 4 [N=187]). Grandiose narcissism may therefore influence visual recognition memory, highlighting the potential for future research linking personality and cognitive performance.

Organizational power and politics: The narcissist's advantage?

Research has shown that grandiose narcissists often rise to positions of power in organizations, even though there is little evidence that they perform better. Indeed, some studies show various deleterious effects on both their companies and the people who work for them. Prior research suggests that one reason for narcissist's success is that they are more skilled at organizational politics. One plausible implication is that narcissists are more willing to use a broad range of power tactics, in part because research shows that narcissists are less prone to feeling guilt for their behaviors. Using a sample of fully-employed adults (n = 270), we show that narcissism is correlated with a greater willingness to use tougher, more aggressive political tactics, an effect that is stronger to the extent that people are less guilt prone. Because research shows the importance of political skill for career success, our findings help account for why narcissism may produce more favorable career outcomes.

Narcissism, social support, and loneliness during the pandemic

In the Polish community sample (N = 662), we examined the relationship between three facets of grandiose narcissism (agentic, antagonistic, and communal) and loneliness, mediated by the social support. Data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agentic narcissism was unrelated to loneliness and social support. People characterized by a high level of antagonistic narcissism reported getting less social support and therefore feeling more lonely. People characterized by a high level of communal narcissism reported getting more social support, protecting them from feeling lonely. Our study points to different consequences of social restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to people characterized by higher agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism levels. This research expands current knowledge about grandiose narcissists and their social functioning, also during forced isolation. Antagonistic narcissism seems to be maladaptive, communal narcissism has no adverse consequences, while agentic narcissism is unrelated to reactions toward forced isolation.

Für Sie gelesen: Aktuelle Studien

O‘Reilly CA, Hall N. Grandiose narcissists and decision making: Impulsive, overconfident, and skeptical of experts – but seldom in doubt. Personality and Individual Differences 2021; 168: 110280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110280

Why are grandiose narcissists more effective at organizational politics? Means, motive, and opportunity

Research over the past decade has shown that grandiose narcissists are often successful at attaining leadership positions in organizations. However, there is no evidence that narcissists lead higher performing firms, and while they see themselves as more competent leaders, there is no evidence for this, either. In fact, research shows that narcissistic leaders have numerous negative effects on the entities they lead. This raises a question: Why are narcissists so successful in attaining leadership positions? We suggest that the defining characteristics of grandiose narcissism (grandiosity, self-confidence, entitlement, and a willingness to exploit others for one's own self-interest) may make them more effective organizational politicians than those who are lower in narcissism. We report the results of three studies that show: (1) those higher in narcissism are more likely than those who are lower to see organizations in political terms (opportunity), (2) they are more willing to engage in organizational politics (motive), and (3) they are more skilled political actors (means). We discuss the implications of these results for organizational dynamics and career processes.

The anxious addictive narcissist: The relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, anxiety symptoms and Facebook Addiction.

Vulnerable narcissism and grandiose narcissism share the core of the narcissistic self but are considered as separate forms of this personality trait. While previous research mainly focused on the mechanisms that connect grandiose narcissism and addictive use of the social platform Facebook, it remained unclear why individuals with enhanced levels of vulnerable narcissism are at risk to develop Facebook Addiction (FA). The present study investigated the links between vulnerable and grandiose narcissism, anxiety symptoms, and FA. In a sample of 327 Facebook users (age: M(SD) = 23.67(3.96), range: 18–56), both forms of narcissism were positively related to anxiety symptoms and FA. Moreover, the association between both forms of narcissism and FA was partly mediated by anxiety symptoms. Results enter new territory by revealing hidden similarities between vulnerable and grandiose narcissists, emphasizing that similar mechanisms might explain their enhanced risk to develop addictive tendencies of Facebook use. These findings should be considered when assessing individuals at risk for FA and when developing (therapeutic) intervention programs to deal with problematic use of social platforms.

Grandiose narcissists and decision making: Impulsive, overconfident, and skeptical of experts–but seldom in doubt

A substantial body of research has documented that grandiose narcissists are characterized by high self-esteem, a sense of personal superiority and entitlement, overconfidence, a willingness to exploit others for self-gain, and hostility and aggression when challenged. We report two studies (N = 452) that explore how these dispositions affect their decision making. We show that grandiose narcissists' overconfidence, impulsivity, and a willingness to ignore expert advice results in a higher likelihood of making a bad decision. In addition, after getting the wrong answer, grandiose narcissists are more likely to blame others and remain self-confident in their judgment.