The Moderating Effect of Social Rejection on the Relationship between Narcissistic Vulnerability and Depression

Abstract

This study examined the moderating effect of social rejection on the relationship between vulnerability, which is one of the characteristics of pathological narcissism, and depression. Before the main experiment, five preliminary studies were conducted to make a new experimental paradigm, 'first impression effect study with video', to manipulate social rejection and non-rejection. In the main experiment, 152 participants from a university answered a questionnaire about narcissistic vulnerability and were randomly assigned to one of the experimental conditions(social rejection[N=76] and non-rejection[N=76]). The results showed that narcissistic vulnerability predicted depression significantly and positively only in the condition of social rejection. This study has significant implications for the development of an new social rejection experiment procedure by making up for the existing social rejection experiment paradigm, as well as for extending the understanding of the relationship between narcissistic vulnerability and depression considering the role of social rejection. In addition, the findings of this study suggest that people with narcissistic vulnerabilities are more likely to feel depressed in interpersonal situations due to unrealistic expectatioons that require only positive responses from others. Lastly, social and cultural understanding of the psychological maladjustment of pathological narcissism, including narcissistic vulnerability, can be expanded if social and economic status and power of social rejections are considered in this experiment.

Effects of Personality Traits and Mentalization on Workplace Bullying Experiences among Intensive Care Unit Nurses

“…It demonstrated that narcissistic vulnerability had the greatest infuence on workplace bullying (victim aspect) among nurses. People with more severe narcissistic vulnerability may experience more negative emotions, such as depression, owing to their unrealistic expectations; thus, they demand only positive responses from others [17] and may also feel ashamed for seeking recognition from others [50]. A previous study on the efects of personality factors on workplace bullying among nurses reported that narcissistic vulnerability was signifcantly positively correlated with depression, anger, and negative emotions and negatively correlated with positive emotions [41].…”

“…People with high perfectionistic self-presentation conceal their imperfections and tend to appear perfect to consequently receive and maintain a favorable reputation from others [26]. As people with severe perfectionistic self-presentation tend to avoid other peoples' negative evaluations of themselves and gracing their shortcomings [17,26], they are presumably more vulnerable to other peoples' negative evaluations or criticisms of their shortcomings that they may receive at work.…”

“…Personality traits refer to the patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting that have been formed over time, become stabilized under various conditions, and are distinguished from other characteristics [15]. Particularly, self and interpersonal functioning are key components of personality traits (American Psychiatric Association [16]); evaluating these factors is crucial to understanding personality pathology [17]. However, nurses' personality traits were analyzed as predictors of engagement among nursing professionals [18] and related factors of critical care nursing competence [19].…”