Collective Narcissism and In-Group Satisfaction Are Associated With Different Emotional Profiles and Psychological Wellbeing

Abstract

The social identity approach to wellbeing posits that social identifications provide psychological resources that contribute to individual wellbeing. Unless individuals identify with stigmatized groups or groups whose norms prescribe damaging behaviors, identifying with groups seems beneficial. This article explores the possibility that the different ways individuals approach the same social identity (labeled collective narcissism vs. in-group satisfaction) may be differentially associated with wellbeing. Results of four studies indicate that collective narcissism (a belief that the in-group’s exceptionality is not sufficiently appreciated by others) vs. in-group satisfaction, (a belief that the in-group is of a high value), although positively correlated, are associated with different emotional profiles. In Study 1A ( N = 570, in Poland) and Study 1B ( N = 778, in the United States), collective narcissism was uniquely positively associated with negative emotionality, whereas in-group satisfaction was positively associated with positive emotionality and negatively associated with negative emotionality. In Study 2 ( N = 569, in Poland), collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction had opposite unique links with social connectedness, gratitude and self-criticism. In Study 3 ( N = 393, in Poland), collective narcissism, but not in-group satisfaction, was associated with sensory processing sensitivity, genetically determined hypersensitivity to negative stimuli. Collective narcissism was associated with life satisfaction only via its link to in-group satisfaction. Together these results suggest that dispositional negative emotionality may incline individuals toward collective narcissism. The positive overlap with in-group satisfaction may link collective narcissism to the benefits of social identification and wellbeing.

Low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, but this relationship is obscured by in-group satisfaction.

“…In addition, after their positive overlap was partialled out, collective narcissism was positively and in-group satisfaction was negatively associated with out-group derogation (Golec de Zavala, Cichocka, & Bilewicz, 2013a). We posit, therefore, that the 1 Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses conducted on items measuring collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction indicate a two factorial latent structure, consistent with the claim that collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction are distinguishable and correspond to different beliefs about the in-group (Dyduch-Hazar, Mrozinski, & Golec de Zavala, 2019;Golec de Zavala, 2019). positive overlap between in-group satisfaction and collective narcissism may obscure (1) the opposite relationships those variables have with self-esteem, and (2) the indirect, negative link between self-esteem and out-group derogation via collective narcissism.…”

Collective Narcissism: Political Consequences of Investing Self‐Worth in the Ingroup’s Image

“…The average effect size for this association is moderate, significant (with 95% CI [0.22,0.27]), and twice as strong as the average association between collective and grandiose narcissism, and it is less heterogeneous. Analyses also confirmed that across different countries, collective narcissism was associated with low self‐esteem via vulnerable narcissism (Golec de Zavala, ). Thus, the belief that the ingroup’s exceptionality is not sufficiently recognized by others is associated with a similar belief about the self.…”

“…Supporting such interpretations, research (Golec de Zavala, ) indicates that nationalism is uniquely positively associated with grandiose narcissism, while collective narcissism is uniquely negatively associated with grandiose narcissism, that is, an individual sense of agentic superiority over others. In addition, collective narcissism is uniquely related to vulnerable narcissism, that is, antagonistic self‐entitlement manifesting as resentment for the lack of individual recognition (Miller, Lynam, Hyatt, & Campbell, ).…”

“…Ingroup satisfaction is associated not only with high self‐esteem, but also with positive emotionality, prosociality, and emotional resilience (Amiot & Aubin, ; Amiot & Sansfaçon, ; Golec de Zavala, ). Moreover, as long as collective narcissists are also satisfied and proud members of their groups, they may experience positive and self‐transcendent emotions (Golec de Zavala, ), and they are less hostile (Golec de Zavala et al, ).…”

“…Ingroup satisfaction is associated not only with high self‐esteem, but also with positive emotionality, prosociality, and emotional resilience (Amiot & Aubin, ; Amiot & Sansfaçon, ; Golec de Zavala, ). Moreover, as long as collective narcissists are also satisfied and proud members of their groups, they may experience positive and self‐transcendent emotions (Golec de Zavala, ), and they are less hostile (Golec de Zavala et al, ). This is analogous to findings from the personal level of self, suggesting that individual narcissism is related to psychological well‐being, only inasmuch as it overlaps with high self‐esteem (Sedikides, Rudich, Gregg, Kumashiro, & Rusbult, ; Zuckerman & O’Loughin, ).…”