The Aging Narcissus: Just a Myth? Narcissism Moderates the Age-Loneliness Relationship in Older Age

Carter, Gregory Louis; Douglass, Melanie Dawn

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01254

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…The negative associations between age and narcissism found in the present study is in line theories that suggest narcissism declines across adulthood and with previous cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence examining one of the focal eight measures separately (e.g., Barlett & Barlett, 2015;Carter & Douglass, 2018;Foster et al, 2003;Grosz et al, 2019;Hill & Roberts, 2012;Roberts et al, 2010;Wetzel et al, 2020;Wilson & Sibley, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Age and Gender Differences in Narcissism: A Comprehensive Study Across Eight Measures and Over 250,000 Participants

Weidmann¹,

Chopik²,

Ackerman³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Age and gender differences in narcissism have been studied often. However, considering the rich history of narcissism research accompanied by its diverging conceptualizations, little is known about age and gender differences across various narcissism measures. The present study investigated age and gender differences and their interactions across eight widely used narcissism instruments (i.e., Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, Dirty Dozen, Psychological Entitlement Scale, DSM-IV NPD, Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire-Short Form, Single Item Narcissism Scale, and brief version of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory). The findings of Study 1 (N = 5,736) revealed heterogeneity in how strongly the measures correlated. Some instruments loaded clearly on one of three factors proposed by previous research (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, antagonism), while others cross- loaded across factors and in distinct ways. Cross-sectional analyses using each measure and meta-analytic results across all measures (Study 2) with a total sample of 270,029 participants suggest consistent linear age effects (random effects meta-analytic effect of r = -.104), with narcissism being highest in young adulthood. Consistent gender differences also emerged (random effects meta-analytic effect was -.079), such that men scored higher in narcissism than women. Quadratic age effects and age x gender effects were generally very small and inconsistent. We conclude that despite the various conceptualizations of narcissism, age and gender differences are generalizable across the eight measures used in the present study. However, their size varied based on the instrument used. We discuss the sources of this heterogeneity and the potential mechanisms for age and gender differences.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Age and Gender Differences in Narcissism: A Comprehensive Study Across Eight Measures and Over 250,000 Participants

Weidmann¹,

Chopik²,

Ackerman³

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Prior research has shown that narcissism levels decrease with age (Foster, Campbell, & Twenge, 2003; Trzesniewski & Donnellan, 2010), and narcissistic aggression might also decrease with age. Previous research has shown that people over age 65 have low narcissism levels (Carter & Douglass, 2018), which is outside the mean age range included in this meta-analytic review. Thus, future research should examine narcissistic aggression in older people.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consistent with evolutionary theory, several scholars have suggested that narcissism levels reach a developmental high in adolescence (e.g., Bleiberg, 1994), and decrease across the life span (Foster, Campbell, & Twenge, 2003, Trzesniewski & Donnellan, 2010, until they reach a developmental low in older age (Carter & Douglass, 2018;Robins et al, 2002). This meta-analytic review explores whether age moderates the relation between narcissism and aggression.…”

Section: Participant Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 90%

The link between narcissism and aggression: A meta-analytic review.

Kjærvik

Bushman

2021

Psychological Bulletin

135

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This meta-analytic review examines the link between narcissism and aggression, and whether the link is stronger under provocation conditions. A total of 437 independent studies were located, which included 123,043 participants. Narcissism was related to both aggression (r = .26, [.24, .28]) and violence (r = .23, [.18, .27]). As expected, the narcissism-aggression link was stronger under provocation conditions (r = .29, [.23, .36]) than under no provocation conditions (r = .12, [.05, .18]), but was even significant in the absence of provocation. Both "normal" and "pathological" narcissism were related to aggression. All three dimensions of narcissism (i.e., entitlement, grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism) were related to aggression. Narcissism was related to all forms of aggression (i.e., indirect, direct, displaced, physical, verbal, bullying), and to both functions of aggression (i.e., reactive, proactive). The relation between narcissism and aggression was significant for males and females, for people of all ages, for students and nonstudents, and for people from individualistic and collectivistic countries. Significant results were obtained in experimental, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies, in published and unpublished studies, and in studies that assessed aggression using different types of measures (i.e., self-report, other-report, observation). Overall results were robust to publication bias and the presence of outliers. Theoretically, these results indicate that provocation is a key moderator of the link between narcissism and aggression. Individuals high in narcissism have "thin skins" and are prone to aggression when they are provoked. Practically, these results suggest that narcissism is an important risk factor for aggression and violence. Public Significance StatementThis meta-analytic review found that individuals with high levels of narcissism are prone to aggressive and violent behavior, especially when they are provoked. There was a triangulation of results across different research methodologies. The relationship was robust for different forms and functions of aggression, different types and dimensions of narcissism, and for males and females of different ages from different countries.

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“…In line with this, Gąsiorowska et al [ 44 ] reported that antagonistic narcissism was associated with increased loneliness and less social support in a community sample ( N = 662). Finally, Carter and Douglass [ 45 ] observed that loneliness increased with age, whereas narcissism decreased in middle-aged and older-aged adults ( N = 100 in each group). Furthermore, narcissism moderated the relationship between loneliness and age, leading to the authors’ conclusion that a certain degree of narcissism may even be protective against feeling lonely which underlines the relevance to further investigate the interplay of narcissism and loneliness.…”

Section: Narcissistic Personalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Loneliness in Personality Disorders

Reinhard

Nenov-Matt

Padberg

2022

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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Purpose of Review Loneliness is a common experience in patients with personality disorders (PDs) that are characterized by impairment in self (identity, self-direction) and interpersonal functioning (empathy, intimacy). Here, we review studies assessing the association of loneliness with PD or PD traits including DSM-5’s Alternative Model of PD (AMPD). Recent Findings The number of loneliness studies varied greatly among different PDs with most studies conducted in borderline PD. Across PDs, loneliness was associated with the severity of psychopathological symptoms and with several AMPD trait domains. Consequently, loneliness may contribute to PD severity and further impair personality functioning. Summary Loneliness and PD share intra- and interpersonal factors (i.e., increased rejection sensitivity, information processing biases, social withdrawal) and common origins in childhood maltreatment that may explain their close association. Future research needs to investigate mechanisms on how loneliness and core characteristics of PD mutually reinforce each other in order to therapeutically address loneliness in PD.

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The Aging Narcissus: Just a Myth? Narcissism Moderates the Age-Loneliness Relationship in Older Age

Cited by 20 publications

References 65 publications

Age and Gender Differences in Narcissism: A Comprehensive Study Across Eight Measures and Over 250,000 Participants

Age and Gender Differences in Narcissism: A Comprehensive Study Across Eight Measures and Over 250,000 Participants

The link between narcissism and aggression: A meta-analytic review.

Loneliness in Personality Disorders

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