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- Title
Let Go of Your (Inflated) Ego: Caring more about Others Reduces Narcissistic Tendencies.
- Authors
Jordan, Christian H.; Giacomin, Miranda; Kopp, Leia
- Abstract
Narcissists are known for having excessively positive self-views, but an equally defining characteristic of narcissism may be a disregard of other people. Could encouraging people to care more about others, or feel more connected to them, reduce narcissism? We describe a series of studies demonstrating that a more communal focus on others reduces narcissistic tendencies. In particular, repeating communal self-statements (i.e., 'I am a caring person'), recalling a time when one was caring, feeling empathy, focusing on monetary expenditures (which increases a sense of dependence on others), and interdependent self-construal all situationally reduce narcissism. These effects occur on a small scale but are significant because they establish that communal focus causes changes in narcissism. They also suggest that narcissism may have a state-like or context-dependent component, fluctuating across time and situations. Everyone may have the propensity to be narcissistic, but caring more about others may help to curb narcissism.
- Subjects
NARCISSISM; EMPATHY; PSYCHOLOGICAL research; SELF-control; SELF-perception
- Publication
Social & Personality Psychology Compass, 2014, Vol 8, Issue 9, p511
- ISSN
1751-9004
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/spc3.12128