Pathological Narcissism and Emotional Responses to Rejection: The Impact of Adult Attachment

Summary & key facts

Researchers tested about 270 people, mostly young adults, to see how two kinds of pathological narcissism — vulnerable and grandiose — affect feelings when someone is left out. People played a virtual ball-toss game that simulated rejection. Those who scored high for vulnerable narcissism felt more insecure in relationships and had stronger negative emotions both in general and after being rejected. People who scored high for grandiose narcissism showed a more shut-down pattern: they did not get more angry, but they lost positive feelings after rejection. The study used a young, mostly female group and a simulated rejection, so the results may not apply to everyone. The findings could matter for how therapists talk about emotions with people who show different narcissistic styles.

Key facts:

• About 270 people took part, mostly women, with a median age of 21.
• The experiment used a virtual ball-tossing game to create a brief experience of social rejection and measured feelings before and after.
• People high in vulnerable narcissism were more likely to report insecure relationship styles and stronger negative emotions in general.
• After being rejected in the game, people higher in vulnerable narcissism showed a clear increase in negative feelings.
• People higher in grandiose narcissism did not show bigger negative reactions; instead they showed drops in positive feelings after rejection, suggesting an emotional ‘shut-down’ pattern.
• The study used questionnaires and a simulated task, so it shows links between traits and emotional reactions but does not prove one thing causes the other.
• The authors say the different emotional patterns for vulnerable and grandiose narcissism have implications for how therapists and clients communicate about feelings.

Abstract

Results indicated that those high in pathological narcissistic vulnerability reported greater insecurity in attachment, negative trait emotional reactivity and experienced a more negative and intense emotional reaction to rejection. Grandiose narcissism was related to a more deactivated pattern of emotional reactivity, and less positive (rather than more negative) emotional reactions. Findings have important implications for therapy, particularly regarding communication of emotions for individuals high in vulnerable and grandiose narcissism.

Topics

Attachment and Relationship Dynamics Personality Disorders and Psychopathology Personality Traits and Psychology

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Affect (linguistics) Alternative medicine Attachment theory Clinical psychology Communication Computer science Computer security Developmental psychology Entitlement (fair division) Grandiosity Mathematical economics Mathematics Medicine Narcissism Pathological Pathology Programming language Psychology Reactivity (psychology) Social psychology Trait Vulnerability (computing)

Conditions & symptoms

Depression Feeling disconnected from others Sadness or low mood