Narcissists Are More Likely To Feel Excluded Than Their Less Self-Absorbed Peers
Narcissists love the spotlight and have a relentless need for attention, so what happens when they feel ignored?
New research shows that narcissists are more likely to feel ostracized than their less self-absorbed peers. This may stem from their inflated self-image making them extra sensitive to exclusion, whether real or imagined.
“Feeling ostracized is a subjective experience based on the perception of social cues by the individual. Some may be intentionally ostracized, while others may merely believe they are being excluded when that’s not the case,” said Christiane Büttner, the lead author of the study from the University of Basel.
“Our findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of narcissism are more sensitive to exclusion cues, leading them to perceive ostracism more frequently.”
For the study, researchers focused on grandiose narcissism, also known as overt narcissism, which includes traits like dominance, entitlement, a strong desire for admiration, and a tendency to seek out status and recognition. Grandiose narcissists rely on charm and manipulation to thrive.
The team analyzed data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, a survey of approximately 22,000 households in Germany.
In particular, they examined 1,592 individuals who answered questions about narcissism and ostracism in 2015.
It turned out that people with higher levels of narcissism reported experiencing much more ostracism. To verify their findings, the team conducted a two-week-long study with 323 participants, who were asked to complete narcissism assessments and report past feelings of ostracism.
They also used a mobile app to document moments when they felt excluded or neglected. Again, the researchers saw that participants with higher narcissism scores felt more excluded in daily life.
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A series of experiments involving over 2,500 participants explored the link between narcissism and feelings of exclusion more in-depth.
The results revealed that narcissistic individuals were more likely to perceive ambiguous social interactions as exclusionary, even when exclusion is not happening.
The fact that people prefer to avoid narcissistic individuals only reinforces this perception of social exclusion. Therefore, the relationship between narcissism and social exclusion goes both ways. Understanding this relationship can help with better navigating interactions with narcissists.
“Narcissism may contribute to social exclusion, but ostracism itself can also fuel the development of narcissistic traits,” Büttner said.
“If people with highly narcissistic traits are more likely to feel and be excluded, this could contribute to escalating tensions in workplaces or social groups. At the same time, their heightened sensitivity to exclusion might make them more likely to react aggressively.”
Overall, the findings of the study suggest that the perceptions and behaviors of individuals should be considered when trying to improve interpersonal relationships and reduce social tensions.
The details of the full study were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
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