Narcissistic Rivalry Research Articles

Just Because I'm Great (and You're Not): When, Why, and How Narcissistic Individuals Give Gifts to Others.

We examined the roles of Narcissistic Admiration and Narcissistic Rivalry in gift giving. We hypothesized that Admirative and Rivalrous individuals diverge in their likelihood of giving gifts. Across six studies (ΣN = 2198), we used correlational and experimental methodology and capitalized on both scenarios and actual gift giving. Narcissistic Admiration was positively, but Narcissistic Rivalry was negatively, associated with gift-giving likelihood (Studies 1-2). These findings were explained by diverging communal motivations for gift giving (Study 3). Consistent with the notion that Rivalrous individuals are less likely to give gifts for communal reasons because they feel threatened by social closeness, the negative association between Narcissistic Rivalry and gift-giving likelihood was attenuated when the gift recipient was more socially distant (vs. close; Study 4). Further, gifts that are recipient-centric (e.g., customized with a recipient's name) are less focused on attributes of the giver and less likely to foster social closeness. Therefore, consistent with Admirative individuals' use of gift giving to promote themselves as a superior communal relationship partner, the positive association between Narcissistic Admiration and gift-giving likelihood was attenuated for gifts that were recipient-centric (Study 5). Socially desirable responding, self-esteem, and fear of failure (Study SM1) did not account for the findings.

Relationships Between Intimate Partner Cyberviolence and Dark Tetrad Traits: A Moderation Effect of Gender

ABSTRACT While previous studies have shown significant effects of dark traits on intimate partner violence, little is known about their effect on intimate partner cyberviolence (IPCV), and findings are rather mixed. The aim of this research was to explore the relationships between the Dark Tetrad traits and forms of IPCV, using a multidimensional approach, as well as examining the moderation effect of gender on these associations. The sample included 293 heterosexual adults from Serbia. The results showed that all Dark Tetrad traits had significant correlations with threatening behaviors as a direct form of IPCV. Furthermore, primary psychopathy explained the use of devices to monitor partners and threatening (or actual) posting of embarrassing photos of a partner, which are combinations of indirect, invasive, and direct forms of IPCV. Secondary psychopathy explained all other forms of IPCV that were more intrusive and excessive. Narcissistic admiration contributed to explaining threatening behaviors, and narcissistic rivalry explained checking behaviors. Moreover, the results showed that sadism and Machiavellianism in men, and sadism and narcissistic rivalry in women, were associated with certain IPCV forms. These results contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationships between dispositional factors of antisocial behaviors (dark traits) and various forms of IPCV.

How Narcissistic Rivalry Shapes Crossover Effects of Work-Induced Ego Depletion

How Narcissistic Rivalry Shapes Crossover Effects of Work-Induced Ego Depletion

Grandiose narcissism, unfounded beliefs, and behavioral reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic

A theoretical perspective on grandiose narcissism suggests four forms of it (sanctity, admiration, heroism, rivalry) and states that these forms conduce to different ways of thinking and acting. Guided by this perspective, we examined in a multinational and multicultural study (61 countries; N = 15,039) how narcissism forms are linked to cognitions and behaviors prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, differences in cognitions and behaviors across narcissism forms emerged. For example, higher narcissistic rivalry predicted lower likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors, but higher narcissistic sanctity predicted higher likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Further, whereas the heroism, admiration, and rivalry narcissism forms acted in a typically antisocial manner, with high narcissism predicting greater endorsement of unfounded health beliefs, the sanctity form acted in a prosocial manner, with higher narcissism being linked to lower endorsement of unfounded COVID-19 health beliefs. Thus, the findings (a) support the idea of four narcissism forms acting differently, and (b) show that these differences reflect a double-edged sword, sometimes linking to an anti-social orientation, and sometimes linking to a pro-social orientation.

Do Narcissists Think They Make a Better Impression Than They Really Do? Re-Evaluating Enhancement as a Dominant Feature of Narcissism

Imagining a narcissist likely calls to mind someone who thinks that they are well-liked and admired—perhaps unrealistically so. But are narcissists’ beliefs about how others see them systematically too positive? Across four samples (total N = 1,537) that included different contexts (group vs. dyadic) and levels of acquaintanceship (new acquaintances vs. close friends), we used condition-based regression analysis to test whether narcissism is associated with overly positive metaperceptions. Results suggested that although people higher in narcissistic admiration expected positive evaluations across several attributes, their beliefs about their reputation were not overly positive, a pattern that held when controlling for self-perceptions at low levels of acquaintanceship. Conversely, people higher in narcissistic rivalry assumed others saw them negatively. These findings add to a growing literature suggesting that grandiose narcissism is not defined by enhancement per se but is related to positive self-views, including positive metaperceptions.

Personality and Crisis Preparedness: The Mediation and Moderation of Narcissistic-Rivalry and Escalation of Commitment

Despite extensive research on organizational crises, there is a need for deeper insight into the personalities of managers involved in crisis management and the interplay of personality traits in crisis preparedness. Crisis management (CM) is pivotal in today’s complex and rapidly changing world, involving the strategic process of anticipating, preparing for, and effectively responding to crises that can potentially disrupt an organization. Recent surges in business failures and related corporate crises, along with the varied consequences of COVID-19, emphasize the acute need for effective CM, particularly crisis preparedness (CP). Given that CP in organizations is influenced by various factors, we aimed to develop a model that accurately assesses the impact of individual and situational aspects on CP, drawing on crisis management theory and trait theory as the overarching theoretical basis. Based on a sample of 314 executives and utilizing moderation-mediation analysis, our main findings reveal that narcissistic rivalry fully mediates the positive relationship between conscientiousness and CP. Additionally, Escalation of Commitment (EoC) moderated the relationship between conscientiousness and narcissistic rivalry, such that managers with high conscientiousness disposed to EoC show a desirable low level of rivalry. In conclusion, while EoC is typically viewed as a negative organizational trait, organizations are advised to prioritize hiring conscientious managers who exhibit a propensity for EoC, provided that the organization can effectively manage this tendency. By taking the proper steps, organizations can benefit from the advantages of managers disposed to EoC while reducing crisis risks.

Which leadership style do more narcissistic subordinates prefer in supervisors?

Subordinates in Western cultures generally prefer supervisors with a democratic rather than autocratic leadership style. It is unclear, however, whether more narcissistic subordinates share or challenge this prodemocratic default attitude. On the one hand, more narcissistic individuals strive for power and thus may favor a democratic supervisor, who grants them power through participation. On the other hand, similarity attracts and, thus, more narcissistic subordinates may favor an autocratic supervisor, who exhibits the same leadership style that they would adopt in a leadership position. Four studies (Ntotal = 1284) tested these competing hypotheses with two narcissism dimensions: admiration and rivalry. Participants indicated the leadership style they generally prefer in a supervisor (Study 1), rated their own supervisor's leadership style (Study 2a: individual ratings; Study 2b: team ratings), and evaluated profiles of democratic and autocratic supervisors (Study 3). We found a significantly weaker prodemocratic default attitude among more narcissistic subordinates: Subordinates' narcissism was negatively related to endorsement of democratic supervisors and positively related to endorsement of autocratic supervisors. Those relations were mostly driven by narcissistic rivalry rather than narcissistic admiration. The results help clarify the narcissistic personality and, in particular, how more narcissistic subordinates prefer to be led.

When and why do individuals high in narcissistic rivalry attain social status?

When and why do individuals high in narcissistic rivalry attain social status?

How narcissism relates to upward-status disagreement in virtual project design teams

ABSTRACT Despite people’s adeptness at discerning group members’ status, disagreements over who ranks higher (i.e., upward-status disagreement; USD) are frequent. In this study, we evaluated how different dimensions of narcissism, which are intertwined with the pursuit of status, relate to status attainment, perception, and ultimately USDs. Following virtual task-oriented teams across three time points, we found that narcissistic admiration did not relate to status attainment or perception, yet was linked to early and consistent involvement in USDs. In contrast, narcissistic rivalry predicted other-status devaluation across all time points and a decrease in absolute status over time. The findings reveal how distinct dimensions of narcissism differentially contribute to status dynamics in teams across different stages of social interaction.

Narcissists' affective well-being: Associations of grandiose narcissism with state affect level and variability.

Whereas grandiose narcissism has generally been found to be related to adaptive affective experiences (i.e., positive affective states), many theoretical conceptualizations have emphasized its associations with characteristics of low affective well-being (i.e., unstable, highly variable affective states). Empirical research on the association of grandiose narcissism with the mean level of and variability in affective states has been inconclusive, as studies have differed considerably in their conceptualizations and measurement of narcissism and affect dynamics and have suffered from methodological limitations. Here, we offer conceptual explanations for previously inconsistent findings, derive diverging hypotheses about different aspects of narcissism and affective well-being, and investigate these hypotheses in two daily diary and three experience-sampling data sets (overall N = 2,125; total measurements = 116,336). As hypothesized, we found diverging associations between agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism with affect levels: Whereas narcissistic admiration was related to more pleasant affective states, narcissistic rivalry was related to less pleasant ones. We also obtained some support for diverging effects of admiration and rivalry on affect variability. However, these associations were largely reduced when we corrected for (squared) mean levels of affective valence and arousal. In combination, these findings suggest that only the agentic aspect of grandiose narcissism is conducive to affective well-being, whereas its antagonistic aspect negatively influences affective well-being. Moreover, the assumed associations of grandiose narcissism with volatile affectivity seem to rely heavily on mean-level effects and primarily manifest in experiences of more diverse affective states rather than stronger or more frequent affective fluctuations in general. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Triggered Abuse: How and Why Leaders with Narcissistic Rivalry React to Follower Deviance

Previous research has shown that leaders’ narcissistic rivalry is positively associated with abusive supervision. However, it remains unclear when and how leaders high in narcissistic rivalry show abusive supervision. Building on trait activation theory and the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept (NARC), we assumed that leaders high in narcissistic rivalry particularly show abusive supervision in reaction to follower workplace deviance due to their tendency to devaluate others. We argued that leaders’ injury initiation motives explain why leaders high in narcissistic rivalry react with abusive supervision when experiencing organization-directed or supervisor-directed deviance. However, this should not be the case for coworker-directed deviance, as leaders high in narcissistic rivalry are less likely to find such behavior violates their internal norms. We conducted two studies. In the first study, we provided participants with experimental vignettes of follower workplace deviance. In the second study, we used a mixed-methods approach and investigated leaders’ autobiographical recollections of follower workplace deviance. We found a positive direct effect of leaders’ narcissistic rivalry across both studies. Leaders high in narcissistic rivalry showed abusive supervision (intentions) in response to organization-directed deviance (Studies 1 and 2) or supervisor-directed deviance (Study 1), but not in response to coworker-directed deviance (Studies 1 and 2). Leaders’ injury initiation motives could in part explain this effect. We discuss findings in light of the NARC and devaluation of others and derive implications for theory and practice.

How does leaders’ narcissistic rivalry impact employees’ service outcomes in the hospitality industry? A conservation of resources perspective

PurposeThis study examines how leaders’ narcissistic rivalry (LNR) affects the in-role performance (IRP) and proactive customer service performance (PCSP) of employees in the hospitality industry. Specifically, this study investigates the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of locus of control (LOC) in the aforementioned relationships.Design/methodology/approachThis study administered a multi-wave, multi-source questionnaire survey with 323 employees working in 11 full-service hotels in China. Statistical analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS 26 software and structural equation modeling using Mplus 8.3 software.FindingsThe authors' results suggest that LNR can negatively affect hospitality employees’ IRP and PCSP and that these relationships are mediated by psychological distress. Additionally, the impact of LNR on psychological distress can be lessened by internal LOC.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on leader narcissism by investigating how LNR affects IRP and PCSP among hospitality employees. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this study also identifies a novel mediating mechanism (psychological distress) connecting LNR to hospitality employees’ service outcomes. Furthermore, this study reveals the moderating role of LOC in the relationship between LNR and psychological distress.

Narcystyczna rywalizacja a trudności w psychospołecznym funkcjonowaniu młodych dorosłych

Introduction: Narcissism is a phenomenon that relates to both healthy and proper human functioning as well as to the area of psychopathology. This phenomenon is perceived in many different planes and perspectives. The article adopts the understanding of narcissism in the NARC model – Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept. Research Aim: The aim of the research was to check how narcissism (as defined by the NARC model), in the form of competition and admiration strategies, is associated with difficulties in psychosocial functioning and behavior of young adults. Method: The following study used: the NARQ-PL questionnaire in the Polish adaptation of Rogoz et al. (2016) and a questionnaire of their own authorship. Results: The obtained research results and statistical analyzes confirm that there is a relationship between narcissistic rivalry and selected behavioral difficulties in young adults. Conclusions: The presented research results are a strong premise for in-depth research on the relationship between individual dimensions of narcissism and behavioral difficulties in young adult Poles.

Relationships between Dark Tetrad traits and beliefs in conspiracy theories: Mediation effects of cognitive styles

The aim of this study was to investigate the direct effects of the Dark Tetrad traits on beliefs in conspiracy theories as well as the indirect effects via rational and experiential cognitive styles. The study included 259 participants from the community population in Serbia. The results showed direct positive effects of Machiavellianism, primary psychopathy, and secondary psychopathy on conspiracy beliefs. Furthermore, only the rational cognitive style showed a significant mediation role, but the direction of its effect depends on the specific dark trait. Machiavellianism, primary psychopathy, secondary psychopathy, and narcissistic rivalry had an indirect effect on belief in conspiracy theories through a lower tendency toward rational style, while narcissistic admiration had an indirect effect through a higher tendency toward rational style. Surprisingly, the experiential cognitive style did not emerge as a significant mediator.

Narcissistic dimensions and depressive symptoms in patients across mental disorders in cognitive behavioural therapy and in psychoanalytic interactional therapy in Germany: a prospective cohort study

Narcissistic personality traits have been theorised to negatively affect depressive symptoms, therapeutic alliance, and treatment outcome, even in the absence of narcissistic personality disorder. We aimed to examine how the dimensional narcissistic facets of admiration and rivalry affect depressive symptoms across treatment modalities in two transdiagnostic samples. We did a naturalistic, observational prospective cohort study in two independent adult samples in Germany: one sample pooled from an inpatient psychiatric clinic and an outpatient treatment service offering cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT), and one sample from an inpatient clinic providing psychoanalytic interactional therapy (PIT). Inpatients treated with CBT had an affective or psychotic disorder. For the other two sites, data from all service users were collected. We examined the effect of core narcissism and its facets admiration and rivalry, measured by Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire-short version, on depressive symptoms, measured by Beck's Depression Inventory and Patient Health Questionnaire-Depression Scale, at baseline and after treatment in patients treated with CBT and PIT. Primary analyses were regression models, predicting baseline and post-treatment depression severity from core narcissism and its facets. Mediation analysis was done in the outpatient CBT group for the effect of the therapeutic alliance on the association between narcissism and depression severity after treatment. The sample included 2371 patients (1423 [60·0%] female and 948 [40·0%] male; mean age 33·13 years [SD 13·19; range 18-81), with 517 inpatients and 1052 outpatients in the CBT group, and 802 inpatients in the PIT group. Ethnicity data were not collected. Mean treatment duration was 300 days (SD 319) for CBT and 67 days (SD 26) for PIT. Core narcissism did not predict depression severity before treatment in either group, but narcissistic rivalry was associated with higher depressive symptom load at baseline (β 2·47 [95% CI 1·78 to 3·12] for CBT and 1·05 [0·54 to 1·55] for PIT) and narcissistic admiration showed the opposite effect (-2·02 [-2·62 to -1·41] for CBT and -0·64 [-1·11 to -0·17] for PIT). Poorer treatment response was predicted by core narcissism (β 0·79 [0·10 to 1·47]) and narcissistic rivalry (0·89 [0·19 to 1·58]) in CBT, whereas admiration showed no effect. No effect of narcissism on treatment outcome was discernible in PIT. Therapeutic alliance mediated the effect of narcissism on post-treatment depression severity in the outpatient CBT sample. As narcissism affects depression severity before and after treatment with CBT across psychiatric disorders, even in the absence of narcissistic personality disorder, the inclusion of dimensional assessments of narcissism should be considered in future research and clinical routines. The relevance of the therapeutic alliance and therapeutic strategy could be used to guide treatment approaches. IZKF Münster. For the German translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Reducing the chances of developing narcissistic rivalry: The buffering effects of self-esteem

Grandiose narcissism may be composed of narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry; theoretically, narcissistic admiration may develop into narcissistic rivalry if the person feels inadequate. To test this idea, participants (N = 1147) completed measures of narcissistic admiration, narcissistic rivalry, self-esteem, and indicated rivalrous responses to hypothetical provocations. As expected, positive relationships between narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry or situated rivalrous responding were each larger at lower (vs. higher) self-esteem; moreover, interactive effects of narcissistic admiration and self-esteem on situated rivalrous responding were mediated by narcissistic rivalry. The data suggest self-esteem may protect narcissistic people from developing narcissistic rivalry and thus reduce their situated rivalrous responding.

Fashion Entrepreneurship: Narcissism and Entrepreneurial Intention

Narcissism and entrepreneurship have been little studied in previous research. For the fashion industry, the relevance of narcissism is evident. In Paris, Berlin, and Zurich, students from fashion schools were surveyed about the connection between dual narcissism and entrepreneurial intention. The results indicate that there are strong correlations between narcissistic admiration and entrepreneurial intention; however, no significant correlations were found for the second component of dual narcissism and narcissistic rivalry. The simple research design was followed up with a more complex research design that attempts to answer the question of how narcissistic admiration influences entrepreneurial intention. The results highlight the view that entrepreneurial skills and risk-taking (as one of three factors) of individual entrepreneurial orientation mediate the relationship between narcissism and entrepreneurial intention. Unlike proactivity, innovativeness correlates positively and strongly with narcissistic admiration but has no significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. In the fashion industry, innovativeness can be lived by starting a venture or as an entrepreneurial career in the creative environment of existing fashion companies.

The Relationships of Leaders’ Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry with Nurses’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior towards Leaders: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Aim. The aim of this study is to investigate the unique contributions of two distinct dimensions of leaders’ narcissism—admiration and rivalry—to nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards the leader and the mediating role of nurses’ challenge appraisal and hindrance appraisal based on the transactional stress theory. Background. Leaders’ narcissism is widespread in hospitals, so whether nurses will show organizational citizenship behavior to narcissistic leaders is related to the harmony and stability of the team. Thus, clarifying the positive or negative relationship between leaders’ narcissism and nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards leaders has become a priority. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at two-time points with 280 Chinese nurses. We used the structural equation model to analyze our data. Results. We found that leaders’ narcissistic admiration was positively correlated with nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards the leader; however, leaders’ narcissistic rivalry was negatively correlated with nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards the leader. Furthermore, mediation analyses revealed that leaders’ narcissistic admiration had a significant indirect effect on nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards leaders via challenge appraisal, and leaders’ narcissistic rivalry had a significant indirect effect on nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards leaders via hindrance appraisal. Conclusion. By introducing two dimensions of narcissistic admiration and rivalry, we resolve previous contradictory findings about the relationship between leader narcissism and organizational citizenship behavior towards the leader. Implications for Nursing Management. Nursing managers need to understand that there are both positive and negative relationships between leaders’ narcissism and nurses’ organizational citizenship behavior towards the leader, and we can promote the positive effects of leaders’ narcissistic admiration and curb the negative consequences of leaders’ narcissistic rivalry by taking some specific steps, such as promoting the loving cooperative atmosphere and punishing disruptive behaviors.

Predicting attitudes toward cryptocurrencies and stocks: The divergent roles of narcissism, intelligence and financial literacy

Relatively narcissistic people are attracted to cryptocurrencies, though it is unclear whether they are differentially attracted to cryptocurrencies over other investments. Furthermore, theoretically, only narcissistic admiration, rather than narcissistic rivalry, would be expected to associate with attitudes toward cryptocurrencies. Intelligence and financial literacy are also proposed individual difference predictors of attitudes toward investments. Consequently, we administered measures of narcissistic admiration and rivalry, a financial literacy test, and a battery of intelligence tests to a sample of young adults (N = 372). Based on a structural equation model, narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry differentially predicted attitudes toward cryptocurrencies (admiration, positively; rivalry, negatively), but both failed to associate significantly with attitudes toward stocks. Furthermore, financial literacy was a unique, positive predictor of attitudes toward stocks, whereas intelligence was a unique, negative predictor of attitudes toward cryptocurrencies. Our findings support the notion that narcissism is differentially associated with attitudes toward cryptocurrencies, though only narcissistic admiration (positively), consistent with the hypersensitivities to reward theory. Finally, higher levels of intelligence, controlling for financial literacy and narcissism, associated negatively with attitudes toward cryptocurrencies, perhaps due to the influence of scepticism.

Narcissism and seeing red: How perceptions of social rank conflict fuels dominance

The desire for social rank is a universal motive that shapes how people think, feel, and behave. Whereas some individuals may acquire rank through sharing expertise and knowledge (i.e., prestige), others resort to fear and intimidation (i.e., dominance). Here, we propose that a tendency to perceive social rank conflict (i.e., conflict between team members over status and power) may underpin dominance behaviour in teams, and that narcissism accounts for these individual differences. Tracking 357 individuals from 81 project design teams across three time points, we used multilevel structural equation modeling to examine associations at the between-person level and the within-person level, while accounting for team membership. We observed support for the idea that individuals who tend to perceive higher levels of social rank conflict are more likely to have a reputation within their team for dominance-based social rank pursuit. We further demonstrate that within-person and between-person differences in narcissistic rivalry (but not narcissistic admiration) predict who is more likely to perceive higher levels of social rank conflict. Overall, the tendency to view one's social world through an antagonistic lens appears to drive dominance-related behaviour in teams.