Citation

Hardaker M, Tsakanikos E. Pers. Individ. Dif. 2014; 60: S32-S33.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.paid.2013.07.066

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The theory of threatened egotism proposes that narcissistic aggression is triggered by threats to the grandiose self-view. However, the theory of self-esteem defence as a function of narcissistic aggression is questionable. Therefore, the present study was an experimental investigation of cognitive bias that may underlie aggressive narcissistic traits. Participants (N = 80) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI; Raskin & Terry, 1988) and then performed a series of response priming tasks. A negative or positive self-esteem prime was displayed momentarily (35 ms) between sandwich masking followed by a hostile, neutral or non-word. Participants had to rapidly and accurately decide if a word or non-word had been presented. Comparisons between NPI and RSES scores, reaction time and stimulus-onset asynchrony were examined. The results are discussed in terms of the automatic operation of self-esteem defence as a function of narcissistic aggression.