Collective narcissism
In
Collective narcissism is related to ethnocentrism. While ethnocentrism is an assertion of the ingroup's supremacy, collective narcissism is a self-defensive tendency to invest unfulfilled self-entitlement into a belief in an ingroup's uniqueness and greatness. Thus, the ingroup is expected to become a vehicle of actualisation of frustrated self-entitlement.[2] In addition, ethnocentrism primarily focuses on self-centeredness at an ethnic or cultural level, while collective narcissism is extended to any type of ingroup.[1][3]
Collective narcissism is associated with intergroup hostility.[2]
Development of the concept
In
The Scale was modelled on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. However, collective and individual narcissism are modestly correlated. Only collective narcissism predicts intergroup behaviours and attitudes. Collective narcissism is related to vulnerable narcissism (individual narcissism manifesting as distrustful and neurotic interpersonal style), and grandiose narcissism (individual narcissism manifesting as exceedingly self-aggrandising interpersonal style) and to low self-esteem.[11][14] This is in line with the theorising of Theodore Adorno who proposed that collective narcissism motivated support for the Nazi politics in Germany and was a response to undermined sense of self-worth.[15]
Characteristics and consequences
Collective narcissism is characterized by the members of a group holding an inflated view of their ingroup which requires constant external validation.
Collective narcissism predicts retaliatory hostility to past, present, actual and imagined offences to the ingroup and negative attitudes towards groups perceived as threatening.[2][12] It predicts constantly feeling threatened in intergroup situations that require a stretch of imagination to be perceived as insulting or threatening. For example, in Turkey, collective narcissists felt humiliated by the Turkish wait to be admitted to the European Union. After a transgression as petty as a joke made by a Polish celebrity about the country's government, Polish collective narcissists threatened physical punishment and openly rejoiced in the misfortunes of the "offender".[12] Collective narcissism predicts conspiracy thinking about secretive malevolent actions of outgroups.[18]
Individualists on themselves | Individualists on collectivists |
---|---|
You wish people would recognize your authority. | They wish others would recognize their group's authority. |
You have natural talent for influencing people. | Their group has all predispositions to influence others. |
If you ruled the world, it would be a much better place. | If their group ruled the world, it would be a much better place. |
You are extraordinary. | Their group is extraordinary. |
You like to be the center of attention. | They like when their group is the center of attention. |
You will never be satisfied until you get all that you deserve. | They will never be satisfied until their group gets all that it deserves. |
You insist upon getting the respect that is due you. | They insist upon their group getting the respect that is due it. |
You want to amount to something in the eyes of the world. | They want their group to amount to something in the eyes of the world. |
People never give you enough recognition for the things you've done. | Not many people seem to understand the full importance of their group. |
Collective vs. individual
There are several connections, and intricate relationships between collective and individual narcissism, or between individual narcissism stemming from group identities or activities, however no single relationship between groups and individuals is conclusive or universally applicable. In some cases, collective narcissism is an individual's idealization of the ingroup to which they belong,[20] while in another the idealization of the group takes place at a more group-level, rather than an instillation within each individual member of the group.[1] In some cases, one might project the idealization of himself onto his group,[21] while in another case, the development of individual-narcissism might stem from being associated with a prestigious, accomplished, or extraordinary group.[1][22]
An example of the first case listed above is that of national identity. One might feel a great sense of love and respect for one's nation, flag, people, city, or governmental systems as a result of a collectively narcissistic perspective.[20] It must be remembered that these feelings are not explicitly the result of collective narcissism, and that collective narcissism is not explicitly the cause of patriotism, or any other group-identifying expression. However, glorification of one's group (such as a nation) can be seen in some cases as a manifestation of collective narcissism.[20]
In the case where the idealization of self is projected onto ones group, group-level narcissism tends to be less binding than in other cases.[21] Typically in this situation the individual—already individually narcissistic—uses a group to enhance his own self-perceived quality, and by identifying positively with the group and actively building it up, the narcissist is enhancing simultaneously both his own self-worth, and his group's worth.[21] However, because the link tends to be weaker, individual narcissists seeking to raise themselves up through a group will typically dissociate themselves from a group they feel is damaging to their image, or that is not improving proportionally to the amount of support they are investing in the group.[21]
Involvement in one's group has also been shown to be a factor in the level of collective narcissism exhibited by members of a group. Typically a more involved member of a group is more likely to exhibit a higher opinion of the group.[23] This results from an increased affinity for the group as one becomes more involved, as well as a sense of investment or contribution to the success of the group.[23] Also, another perspective asserts that individual narcissism is related to collective narcissism exhibited by individual group members.[3] Personal narcissists, seeing their group as a defining extension of themselves, will defend their group (collective narcissism) more avidly than a non-narcissist, to preserve their own perceived social standing along with their group's.[3] In this vein, a problem is presented; for while an individual narcissist will be heroic in defending his or her ingroup during intergroup conflicts, he or she may be a larger burden on the ingroup in intragroup situations by demanding admiration, and exhibiting more selfish behavior on the intragroup level—individual narcissism.[3]
Conversely, another relationship between collective narcissism and the individual can be established with individuals who have a low or damaged ego investing their image in the well-being of their group, which bears strong resemblance to the "ideal-hungry" followers in the charismatic leader-follower relationship.[1][24] As discussed, these ego-damaged group-investors seek solace in belonging to a group;[24] however, a strong charismatic leader is not always requisite for someone weak to feel strength by building up a narcissistic opinion of their own group.[21]
Charismatic leader-follower relationship
Another sub-concept encompassed by collective narcissism is that of the "charismatic leader-follower relationship" theorized by
An important characteristic of the leader follower-relationship are the manifestations of narcissism by both the leader and follower of a group.
Perhaps the most significant example of this phenomenon would be that of Nazi Germany.[24] Adolf Hitler's charisma and polarizing speeches satisfied the German people's hunger for a strong leader.[24] Hitler's speeches were characterized by their emphasis on "strength"—referring to Germany—and "weakness"—referring to the Jewish people.[25] Some have even described Hitler's speeches as "hypnotic"—even to non-German speakers[24]—and his rallies as "watching hypnosis on large scale".[24] Hitler's charisma convinced the German people to believe that they were not weak, and that by destroying the perceived weakness from among them (the Jews), they would be enhancing their own strength—satisfying their ideal-hungry desire for strength, and pleasing their mirror-hungry charismatic leader.[24]
Intergroup aggression
Collective narcissism has been shown to be a factor in intergroup aggression and bias.
Similar to other elements of collective narcissism, intergroup aggression related to collective narcissism draws parallels with its individually narcissistic counterparts. An individual narcissist might react aggressively in the presence of humiliation, irritation, or anything threatening to his self-image.[29] Likewise, a collective narcissist, or a collectively narcissistic group might react aggressively when the image of the group is in jeopardy, or when the group is collectively humiliated.[1]
A study conducted among 6 to 9 year-olds by Judith Griffiths indicated that ingroups and outgroups among these children functioned relatively identical to other known collectively narcissistic groups in terms of intergroup aggression. The study noted that children generally had a significantly higher opinion of their ingroup than of surrounding outgroups, and that such ingroups indirectly or directly exhibited aggression on surrounding outgroups.[30]
Ethnocentrism
Collective narcissism and ethnocentrism are closely related; they can be positively correlated and often shown to be coexistent, but they are independent in that either can exist without the presence of the other.[3] In a study conducted by Boris Bizumic, some ethnocentrism was shown to be an expression of group-level narcissism.[3] It was noted, however, that not all manifestations of ethnocentrism are narcissistically based, and conversely, not all cases of group-level narcissism are by any means ethnocentric.[3]
It has been suggested that ethnocentrism – when pertaining to discrimination or aggression based on the self-love of one's group; or, in other words, based on exclusion from one's self-perceived superior group – is an expression of collective narcissism.[1] In this sense, it might be said that collective narcissism overlaps with ethnocentrism, depending on given definitions and the breadth of their acceptance.
In the world
In general, collective narcissism is most strongly manifested in groups that are "self-relevant", like religions, nationality, sexual or gender identity, or ethnicity.[21] As discussed earlier, phenomena such as national identity (nationality) and Nazi Germany (ethnicity and nationality) are manifestations of collective narcissism among groups that critically define the people who belong to them.
In addition to this, a group's extant collective narcissism is likely to be exacerbated during conflict and aggression.
See also
- American exceptionalism
- Cabal
- Clique
- Collectivism and individualism
- Cronyism
- Cult
- Elitism
- Emotional contagion
- Eurocentrism
- Exceptionalism
- Gang
- Group dynamics
- Group emotion
- Groupthink
- Hubris and group pride
- Marking your own homework
- Mobbing
- Narcissism of small differences
- Nepotism
- Old boy network
- Peer pressure
- Social group
- Social identity approach
- Social projection
- Supremacism
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Golec de Zavala et al. 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Golec de Zavala 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bizumic & Duckitt 2008.
- ^ Freud 1991, p. 131.
- ^ Hohendahl 1997, p. 56.
- ^ Weaver 2006, p. 62.
- ^ Fromm 1973.
- ^ Bourdieu 1996, p. 385.
- ^ Smith & Mackie 2007, pp. 205, 491.
- ^ Collective Narcissism: Narcissism, Culture, and Society https://web.archive.org/web/20021014112738/http://samvak.tripod.com/14.html
- ^ a b c Golec de Zavala, Dyduch‐Hazar & Lantos 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Golec de Zavala et al. 2016.
- ^ Lyons, Kenworthy & Popan 2010.
- ^ a b Golec de Zavala et al. 2019.
- ^ Golec de Zavala et al. 2009, p. 4.
- ^ Golec de Zavala et al. 2009, p. 44.
- ^ a b Duchon & Drake 2009.
- ^ Golec de Zavala & Cichocka 2012.
- ^ Golec de Zavala et al. 2009, pp. 12–13.
- ^ a b c Roccas, Klar & Liviatan 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f Gramzow & Gaertner 2005.
- ^ Warren & Capponi 1996.
- ^ a b Bailis, Chipperfield & Helgason 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Post 1986.
- ^ Bychowski 1948.
- ^ Golec de Zavala, Cichocka & Iskra-Golec 2013.
- ^ Lyons, Coursey & Kenworthy 2013.
- ^ Bushman & Baumeister 1998.
- ^ Baumeister, Bushman & Campbell 2000.
- ^ Nesdale et al. 2009.
Bibliography
Books
- ISBN 978-0-8047-2568-2.
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- ISBN 978-0140137910.
- Fromm, Eric (1973). The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. New York: New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 978-0-03-007596-4.
- Hohendahl, Peter Uwe (1997). Prismatic Thought: Theodor W. Adorno. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0803273054.
- Smith, Eliot R.; Mackie, Diane M. (2007). Social Psychology (3rd ed.). Psychology Press. ISBN 9781841694092.
- Weaver, Eric Beckett (2006). National Narcissism: The intersection of the nationalist cult and gender in Hungary. Peter Lang AG. ISBN 978-3039107261.
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- Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Cichocka, Aleksandra; Eidelson, Roy; Jayawickreme, Nuwan (2009). "Collective narcissism and its social consequences" (PDF). PMID 19968420. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
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- Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Cichocka, Aleksandra (March 2012). "Collective narcissism and anti-Semitism in Poland" (PDF). Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 15 (2): 213–229. (PDF) from the original on 2018-07-23. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Cichocka, Aleksandra; Iskra-Golec, Irena (2013). "Collective narcissism moderates the effect of in-group image threat on intergroup hostility" (PDF). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 104 (6): 1019–1039. (PDF) from the original on 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Dyduch‐Hazar, Karolina; Lantos, Dorottya (2019). "Collective Narcissism: Political Consequences of Investing Self-Worth in the Ingroup's Image" (PDF). Political Psychology. 40 (S1): 37–74. ISSN 1467-9221.
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- Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Peker, Müjde; Guerra, Rita; Baran, Tomasz (2016-11-01). "Collective Narcissism Predicts Hypersensitivity to In-group Insult and Direct and Indirect Retaliatory Intergroup Hostility" (PDF). European Journal of Personality. 30 (6): 532–551. S2CID 54186348.
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- Lyons, Patricia A.; Kenworthy, Jared B.; Popan, Jason R. (2010-08-10). "Ingroup Identification and Group-Level Narcissism as Predictors of U.S. Citizens' Attitudes and Behavior Toward Arab Immigrants". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 36 (9): 1267–1280. S2CID 23909820.
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- Roccas, Sonia; Klar, Yechiel; Liviatan, Ido (November 2006). "The Paradox of Group-Based Guilt: Modes of National Identification, Conflict Vehemence, and Reactions to the In-Group's Moral Violations". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 91 (4): 698–711. PMID 17014294.
- Warren, Muriel P.; Capponi, Attilio (1996). "The role of culture in the development of narcissistic personality disorders in America , Japan and Denmark". Journal of Applied Social Science. 20 (1): 77–82.