Social Comparisons (but not Temporal Comparisons) Maintain Narcissism in Adolescence

• In Event: Heterogeneity in Self-Esteem Development: New Theoretical Insights and Longitudinal Evidence

Abstract

Adolescence is characterized by high levels of narcissism—a personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of importance and entitlement (Foster, Campbell, & Twenge, 2003). Narcissism puts adolescents at risk for aggression and problematic social relationships (Thomaes & Brummelman, 2016). Unfortunately, little is known about the developmental processes that maintain narcissism, and how these are different from those that maintain self-esteem.

We propose that narcissism is maintained, in part, through downward social comparisons (i.e., comparing oneself favorably to others; Festinger, 1954), given that such comparisons reaffirm one’s superiority over others. By contrast, narcissism may not be maintained through temporal comparisons (i.e., comparing one’s present self favorably to one’s past self; Albert, 1977). Although such comparisons shed a favorable light on the self, they do not portray the self as superior to others.

We tested these hypotheses in a correlational and longitudinal study conducted in adolescence (ages 11-15). Adolescence is a time when adolescents make frequent social and temporal comparisons (Gürel, Brummelman, & Overbeek, in press). In both studies, narcissism and self-esteem were only weakly related, attesting to their independence.

The correlational study (N = 382) showed that adolescents with higher narcissism levels were more inclined to make downward social and temporal comparisons. In an intensive longitudinal study (N = 398), we assessed adolescents’ narcissism and self-esteem levels at the beginning of the school year and at three-month follow-up. In-between those assessments, we captured adolescents’ social and temporal comparisons via daily diary assessments. Adolescents with higher narcissism levels made more downward social and temporal comparisons in their everyday lives. In turn, downward social comparisons—but not downward temporal comparisons—mediated the long-term stability of narcissism.

In both studies, self-esteem was unrelated to downward social and temporal comparisons, indicating that these findings were unique to narcissism. Indeed, results showed that, whereas narcissism was maintained through downward social comparisons, self-esteem was maintained through upward social comparisons.

Bridging insights from social, personality, and developmental psychology, this research reveals an unexplored comparison strategy of narcissists (i.e., downward temporal comparisons) and uncovers an intrapersonal mechanism that maintains the personality trait of narcissism in adolescence (i.e., downward social comparisons). These findings advance psychological theory by providing first insights into the developmental processes that maintain narcissism (Grapsas, Brummelman, Back, & Denissen, 2020; Morf & Rhodewalt, 2001): downward social comparisons, but not temporal comparisons, play a role in the maintenance of trait narcissism over time.

Additionally, these findings add up to the differences between narcissism and self-esteem (Brummelman & Sedikides, 2020) by highlighting the different processes through which they are maintained. Overall, these findings may inspire interventions that discourage social comparisons (e.g., by encouraging temporal comparisons) to counter narcissistic tendencies from a young age.

Authors

• Cisem Gurel, Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)
  Presenting Author

• Geertjan Overbeek, University of Amsterdam
  Non-Presenting Author

• Eddie Brummelman, Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)
  Non-Presenting Author