When and why do narcissistic individuals attain status in groups?

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Michael Paul Grosz
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology ; Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: from 2018 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 407503175

High status individuals have a lot of influence. They can thus do a lot of good but also a lot of harm to the social world around them. Narcissistic individuals are often perceived as harmful because they tend to initiate conflicts, violate rules, and challenge existing structures and institutions (Sedikides & Campbell, 2017). Nevertheless, narcissistic individuals have frequently been found to attain status and popularity in face-to-face groups (e.g., Back, Schmukle, & Egloff, 2010; Brunell et al., 2008; Paulhus, 1998). The proposed project is aimed at enhancing the understanding of when and why narcissistic individuals attain status. For this aim, I integrated research on narcissism and recent theories on status hierarchies such as the Micropolitics model (Anderson & Cowan, 2014; Anderson & Kennedy, 2012). From the theoretical integration, I derived three hypotheses: (a) Narcissism will have a stronger positive association with status attainment in situations in which it is possible to punish free riders than in situations in which it is not possible to punish free riders. (b) Narcissism will have a stronger negative association with status attainment in situations in which it is possible to contribute one’s share than in situations in which it is not possible to contribute one’s share. (c) Narcissism will have a stronger positive association with status attainment in situations in which it is possible to impress others in face-to-face interaction than in situations in which it is not possible to impress others in face-to-face interaction. The moderating effect of these three situational factors on the narcissism-status link will be tested in three studies with groups of six to eight persons (N1 = 480; N2 = 480; N3 = 558). The three studies will be based on a game theory paradigm: the repeated public goods game with punishment (e.g., Fehr & Gächter, 2000). The results will inform theories about the narcissism-status link, theories about the evolutionary origins of narcissism, and debates about the interpersonal adaptiveness of narcissism.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants