1
|
Leota J, Faulkner P, Mazidi S, Simpson D, Nash K. Neural rhythms of narcissism: Facets of narcissism are associated with different neural sources in resting-state EEG. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:4907-4921. [PMID: 39073208 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Trait narcissism is characterized by significant heterogeneity across individuals. Despite advances in the conceptualization of narcissism, including the increasing recognition that narcissism is a multidimensional construct, the sources of this heterogeneity remain poorly understood. Here, we used a neural trait approach to help better understand "how," and shed light on "why," individuals vary in facets of trait narcissism. Participants (N = 58) first completed personality measures, including the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), and then in a second session sat passively while resting-state electroencephalography (rs-EEG) was recorded. We then regressed source-localized rs-EEG activity on the distinct facets of narcissism: Grandiose Exhibitionism (GE), Entitlement/Exploitativeness (EE), and Leadership/Authority (LA). Results revealed that each facet was associated with different (though sometimes overlapping) neural sources. Specifically, GE was associated with reduced activation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC). EE was associated with reduced activation in the DMPFC and right lateral PFC. LA was associated with increased activation in the left anterior temporal cortex. These findings support the idea that trait narcissism is a multidimensional construct undergirded by individual differences in neural regions related to social cognition (the DMPFC), self-regulation (right lateral PFC), and self-referential processing (left anterior temporal cortex).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josh Leota
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paige Faulkner
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Shafa Mazidi
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Simpson
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jornkokgoud K, Baggio T, Bakiaj R, Wongupparaj P, Job R, Grecucci A. Narcissus reflected: Grey and white matter features joint contribution to the default mode network in predicting narcissistic personality traits. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:3273-3291. [PMID: 38649337 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Despite the clinical significance of narcissistic personality, its neural bases have not been clarified yet, primarily because of methodological limitations of the previous studies, such as the low sample size, the use of univariate techniques and the focus on only one brain modality. In this study, we employed for the first time a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning methods, to identify the joint contributions of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) to narcissistic personality traits (NPT). After preprocessing, the brain scans of 135 participants were decomposed into eight independent networks of covarying GM and WM via parallel ICA. Subsequently, stepwise regression and Random Forest were used to predict NPT. We hypothesized that a fronto-temporo parietal network, mainly related to the default mode network, may be involved in NPT and associated WM regions. Results demonstrated a distributed network that included GM alterations in fronto-temporal regions, the insula and the cingulate cortex, along with WM alterations in cerebellar and thalamic regions. To assess the specificity of our findings, we also examined whether the brain network predicting narcissism could also predict other personality traits (i.e., histrionic, paranoid and avoidant personalities). Notably, this network did not predict such personality traits. Additionally, a supervised machine learning model (Random Forest) was used to extract a predictive model for generalization to new cases. Results confirmed that the same network could predict new cases. These findings hold promise for advancing our understanding of personality traits and potentially uncovering brain biomarkers associated with narcissism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khanitin Jornkokgoud
- Department of Research and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Teresa Baggio
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Richard Bakiaj
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Peera Wongupparaj
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Remo Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jornkokgoud K, Baggio T, Faysal M, Bakiaj R, Wongupparaj P, Job R, Grecucci A. Predicting narcissistic personality traits from brain and psychological features: A supervised machine learning approach. Soc Neurosci 2023; 18:257-270. [PMID: 37497589 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2023.2242094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Narcissism is a multifaceted construct often linked to pathological conditions whose neural correlates are still poorly understood. Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings related to the neural underpinnings of narcissism, probably due to methodological limitations such as the low number of participants or the use of mass univariate methods. The present study aimed to overcome the previous methodological limitations and to build a predictive model of narcissistic traits based on neural and psychological features. In this respect, two machine learning-based methods (Kernel Ridge Regression and Support Vector Regression) were used to predict narcissistic traits from brain structural organization and from other relevant normal and abnormal personality features. Results showed that a circuit including the lateral and middle frontal gyri, the angular gyrus, Rolandic operculum, and Heschl's gyrus successfully predicted narcissistic personality traits (p < 0.003). Moreover, narcissistic traits were predicted by normal (openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) and abnormal (borderline, antisocial, insecure, addicted, negativistic, machiavellianism) personality traits. This study is the first to predict narcissistic personality traits via a supervised machine learning approach. As such, these results may expand the possibility of deriving personality traits from neural and psychological features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khanitin Jornkokgoud
- Cognitive Science and Innovation Research Unit (CSIRU), College of Research Methodology and Cognitive Science (RMCS), Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Teresa Baggio
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Md Faysal
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Richard Bakiaj
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Peera Wongupparaj
- Cognitive Science and Innovation Research Unit (CSIRU), College of Research Methodology and Cognitive Science (RMCS), Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Remo Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ash S, Greenwood D, Keenan JP. The Neural Correlates of Narcissism: Is There a Connection with Desire for Fame and Celebrity Worship? Brain Sci 2023; 13:1499. [PMID: 37891865 PMCID: PMC10605183 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Objective: Narcissism is characterized by emotional regulation deficits, a lack of empathy for others, and extreme self-focus. Narcissism has also been linked to an increased desire for fame and celebrity worship. Here, the neuroscience underlying narcissism is examined in order to determine what regions and networks of the brain are altered when non-narcissistic individuals are compared to participants with both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. (2) Methods: The behavioral relationships between grandiose narcissism and desire for fame and vulnerable narcissism and celebrity worship are explored, along with a possible relationship at the neural level between these constructs. In this paper, we review research demonstrating that increased levels of grandiose narcissism are associated with an increase in obsession with fame, while vulnerable narcissism is associated with celebrity worship. (3) Results: Based on current data, the frontal regions underlie narcissism and also likely underlie celebrity worship and desire for fame. This tenuous conclusion is based on a limited number of studies. (4) Conclusions: The brain areas associated with grandiose narcissism may be associated with an intense desire for fame as well, while brain regions associated with vulnerable narcissism may be similar in celebrity worshipers. Future research studies on the brain that are specifically designed to test these relationships at a neurological level are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Ash
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Montclair State University, 320 Science Hall, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
| | - Dara Greenwood
- Department of Psychology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | - Julian Paul Keenan
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Montclair State University, 320 Science Hall, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Schmidt L, Pfarr JK, Meller T, Evermann U, Nenadić I. Structural connectivity of grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism as models of social dominance and subordination. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16098. [PMID: 37752194 PMCID: PMC10522767 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41098-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Social dominance and subordination have been linked to fronto-limbic and fronto-thalamic networks and are related to phenotypes such as grandiose vs. vulnerable narcissistic traits. The latter have been linked to clinical features such as empathy and emotional regulation. In this study we tested the hypotheses that narcissistic traits are associated with white matter integrity in fasciculus uncinate, cingulum, and anterior thalamic radiation (ATR). We applied the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) to assess narcissistic traits in a sample of 267 psychiatrically healthy individuals. We used 3 T MRI to acquire Diffusion Tensor Imaging data for analysis with TBSS in FSL applying TFCE to test for correlations of fractional anisotropy (FA) and PNI scales. We detected a significant positive correlation of PNI total and FA in the right posterior cingulum. PNI Vulnerability was significantly correlated with FA in the left anterior and right posterior cingulum. We did not find overall correlations with PNI Grandiosity, but additional analyses showed significant effects with FA of ATR. Our results strengthen network models for narcissism underlying both personality variation and pathology. Especially associations of narcissistic vulnerability within fronto-limbic tracts suggest overlaps within neural correlates of related phenotypes like neuroticism, social subordination, and negative emotionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schmidt
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Julia-Katharina Pfarr
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tina Meller
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ulrika Evermann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Igor Nenadić
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lou J, Sun Y, Cui Z, Gong L. Structural brain alterations in young adult males with narcissistic personality disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Int J Neurosci 2023; 133:133-140. [PMID: 33635732 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2021.1896504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSES 1. To find a difference in white matter (WM) between young adult males with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and healthy controls (HCs). 2. To find some correlations between white matter in the abnormal regions of NPD group and the pathological narcissism inventory (PNI). MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighteen male participants with NPD (age M = 18.39, SD = 0.164; education M = 12.33, SD = 0.14) were included in our experiment. NPD participants met the DSM-IV criteria for NPD and without other personality disorders evaluated by trained clinical psychiatrists using the Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV for Personality Disorders (SCID-II). Moreover, healthy controls were also confirmed to be free of any axis I or II disorders and matched with education level, age and handedness (age M = 18.83 years, SD = 0.246; education M = 12.56, SD = 0.202; all participants were right handed). Those who have had major life events in the last six months, mental and physical illnesses, claustrophobia and oral implants have been excluded. We used tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) on diffusion tensor images (DTI) and analysis of Pearson correlation between abnormal brain regions of white matter fibers and the pathological narcissism inventory. RESULTS There was no significant difference in age and education level between NPD and HCs (p > 0.05). There were significant differences in PNI score and its subscales between NPD group and HCs (p < 0.01). Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were found decreased mainly in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and the bilateral posterior thalamic radiation (include optic radiation). Lower axial diffusivity (AD) values were identified mostly in the left retrolenticular part of internal capsule and the left posterior thalamic radiation (include optic radiation). There existed a significant correlation between DTI data and pathological narcissism inventory. CONCLUSIONS The decreased brain white matter microstructures among three clusters were found in the association, projection/thalamic and connection pathways of white matter in young adult males with NPD. The abnormal white matter brain regions may be one of the neuropathological basis of the pathogenesis of young males with NPD, and it may be related to white matter development in early adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lou
- Neuropsychological Department, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yueji Sun
- Neuropsychological Department, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Zhixia Cui
- Neuropsychological Department, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Lei Gong
- Neuropsychological Department, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Narcissistic personality traits and prefrontal brain structure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15707. [PMID: 34344930 PMCID: PMC8333046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94920-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Narcissistic traits have been linked to structural and functional brain networks, including the insular cortex, however, with inconsistent findings. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that subclinical narcissism is associated with variations in regional brain volumes in insular and prefrontal areas. We studied 103 clinically healthy subjects, who were assessed for narcissistic traits using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI, 40-item version) and received high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging. Voxel-based morphometry was used to analyse MRI scans and multiple regression models were used for statistical analysis, with threshold-free cluster enhancement (TFCE). We found significant (p < 0.05, family-wise error FWE corrected) positive correlations of NPI scores with grey matter in multiple prefrontal cortical areas (including the medial and ventromedial, anterior/rostral dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, subgenual and mid-anterior cingulate cortices, insula, and bilateral caudate nuclei). We did not observe reliable links to particular facets of NPI-narcissism. Our findings provide novel evidence for an association of narcissistic traits with variations in prefrontal and insular brain structure, which also overlap with previous functional studies of narcissism-related phenotypes including self-enhancement and social dominance. However, further studies are needed to clarify differential associations to entitlement vs. vulnerable facets of narcissism.
Collapse
|
8
|
Jauk E, Kanske P. Can neuroscience help to understand narcissism? A systematic review of an emerging field. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 4:e3. [PMID: 34124536 PMCID: PMC8170532 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2021.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Narcissism is a Janusian personality construct, associated with both grandiose self-assuredness and dominance, as well as vulnerable insecurity and reactivity. Central questions of intra- and interpersonal functioning in narcissism are still a matter of debate. Neuroscience could help to understand the paradoxical patterns of experience and behavior beyond the limitations of self-reports. We provide a systematic review of 34 neuroscience studies on grandiose, vulnerable, pathological narcissism, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), spanning experimental investigations of intra- and interpersonal mechanisms, research on neurophysiological and neuroendocrine aspects of baseline function, and brain structural correlates. While neuroscience has scarcely directly studied vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism is associated with heightened vigilance to ego threat and stress responses following ego threat, as well as heightened stress indicators in baseline measures. Such responses are not commonly observed in self-reports, highlighting the potential of neuroscience to augment our understanding of self-regulatory dynamics in narcissism. Interpersonal functioning is characterized by deficits in social-affective processes. Both involve altered activity within the salience network, pointing to a double dissociation regarding the expression of narcissism and self/other oriented situational focus. Findings are summarized in an integrative model providing testable hypotheses for future research along with methodological recommendations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Jauk
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Opposite associations of collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction with intergroup aggression via belief in the hedonistic function of revenge. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247814. [PMID: 33690667 PMCID: PMC7946200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether collective narcissism (i.e., believing that the in-group is exceptional but insufficiently recognized by others) and in-group satisfaction (i.e., believing that the in-group is a source of satisfaction) have opposite, unique associations with intergroup aggression via belief in the hedonistic function of revenge (i.e., an expectation of emotional reward from harming others in response to feeling oneself harmed). Results of two studies conducted in Poland (N = 675) found that collective narcissism is positively related to belief in the hedonistic function of revenge, whereas in-group satisfaction is negatively related, and both are related to intergroup aggression. These relationships were found only when the overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction was partialled out. The results shed a new light on the mechanisms linking in-group positivity to out-group derogation, and highlight the importance of investigating revenge motivations in the intergroup relations.
Collapse
|
10
|
Parr T. Inferring What to Do (And What Not to). ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 22:E536. [PMID: 33286308 PMCID: PMC7517030 DOI: 10.3390/e22050536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the "planning as inference" paradigm has become central to the study of behaviour. The advance offered by this is the formalisation of motivation as a prior belief about "how I am going to act". This paper provides an overview of the factors that contribute to this prior. These are rooted in optimal experimental design, information theory, and statistical decision making. We unpack how these factors imply a functional architecture for motivated behaviour. This raises an important question: how can we put this architecture to work in the service of understanding observed neurobiological structure? To answer this question, we draw from established techniques in experimental studies of behaviour. Typically, these examine the influence of perturbations of the nervous system-which include pathological insults or optogenetic manipulations-to see their influence on behaviour. Here, we argue that the message passing that emerges from inferring what to do can be similarly perturbed. If a given perturbation elicits the same behaviours as a focal brain lesion, this provides a functional interpretation of empirical findings and an anatomical grounding for theoretical results. We highlight examples of this approach that influence different sorts of goal-directed behaviour, active learning, and decision making. Finally, we summarise their implications for the neuroanatomy of inferring what to do (and what not to).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Parr
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nash K, Johansson A, Yogeeswaran K. Social Media Approval Reduces Emotional Arousal for People High in Narcissism: Electrophysiological Evidence. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:292. [PMID: 31616266 PMCID: PMC6764241 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine if posting a "selfie" and receiving validation from others in the form of "likes" on social media can help narcissists reduce psychological distress. After all participants completed the narcissistic personality inventory (NPI) and experienced social exclusion, participants completed an auditory startle task that elicits the P3 to white noise-an ERP component that reflects emotional arousal and is sensitive to psychological distress. Participants were then randomly assigned to either view a personal "selfie" that quickly received a significant number of ostensibly real "likes" (selfie with likes condition), view a "selfie" with no feedback (selfie only condition), or view a neutral picture before (neutral picture condition) completing the auditory startle task again. Results revealed that participants high on the Leadership/Authority subscale of the NPI in the "selfie" with "likes" condition demonstrated a pre-post manipulation decrease in P3 mean amplitude, relative to participants in the other two conditions. These results suggest that approval via social media can help certain kinds of narcissists alleviate distress from social exclusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andre Johansson
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kumar Yogeeswaran
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kumar V D. Multiple Faces of Narcissistic Leadership in Medical Education. JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN MEDICAL EDUCATION & PROFESSIONALISM 2019; 7:103-105. [PMID: 31086802 PMCID: PMC6475033 DOI: 10.30476/jamp.2019.44705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Narcissism, being the critical part of the toxic leadership paradigm, has its own impact in the education sphere. Contrastingly, leader's narcissism cannot be simply underweighted because such leaders often tend to be creative strategists who can take risky challenges to suffice the self-ego and leave behind a legacy as well. This commentary intends to portray the complex mosaic of the positive and negative consequences inbred in a narcissistic leader. The debate over whether these people provide a net gain or loss remains everlasting because it varies based on the organizational climate and also other contextual factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Kumar V
- Dinesh Kumar V, Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Prosser A, Friston KJ, Bakker N, Parr T. A Bayesian Account of Psychopathy: A Model of Lacks Remorse and Self-Aggrandizing. COMPUTATIONAL PSYCHIATRY (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2018; 2:92-140. [PMID: 30381799 PMCID: PMC6184370 DOI: 10.1162/cpsy_a_00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This article proposes a formal model that integrates cognitive and psychodynamic psychotherapeutic models of psychopathy to show how two major psychopathic traits called lacks remorse and self-aggrandizing can be understood as a form of abnormal Bayesian inference about the self. This model draws on the predictive coding (i.e., active inference) framework, a neurobiologically plausible explanatory framework for message passing in the brain that is formalized in terms of hierarchical Bayesian inference. In summary, this model proposes that these two cardinal psychopathic traits reflect entrenched maladaptive Bayesian inferences about the self, which defend against the experience of deep-seated, self-related negative emotions, specifically shame and worthlessness. Support for the model in extant research on the neurobiology of psychopathy and quantitative simulations are provided. Finally, we offer a preliminary overview of a novel treatment for psychopathy that rests on our Bayesian formulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Prosser
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Karl J. Friston
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nathan Bakker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Thomas Parr
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chavez RS, Heatherton TF, Wagner DD. Neural Population Decoding Reveals the Intrinsic Positivity of the Self. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:5222-5229. [PMID: 27664966 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
People are motivated to hold favorable views of themselves, which manifests as a positivity bias when evaluating their own performance and abilities. However, it remains an open question whether positive affect is an essential component of people's self-concept. Prior functional neuroimaging research demonstrated that similar regions of the brain support positive affect and self-referential processing, although a direct test of their shared representation has yet to be examined. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging in conjunction with multivariate pattern analysis in a cross-domain neural population decoding paradigm. We found that a multivariate pattern classifier model trained to dissociate neural responses to viewing positively and negatively valenced images can dissociate thinking about oneself from a close friend during a lexical trait-judgment task commonly used in the study of self-referential processing. Cross-domain classification accuracy was found to be highest in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC), a region previously implicated in both self-referential processing and positive affect. These results show that brain responses during self-referential processing can be decoded from multi-voxel activation patterns in the vMPFC when viewing positively valenced material, thereby providing evidence that positive affect may be a central component of the mental representation of the self.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Chavez
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Todd F Heatherton
- Dartmouth College, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Dylan D Wagner
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Feng C, Yuan J, Geng H, Gu R, Zhou H, Wu X, Luo Y. Individualized prediction of trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3701-3712. [PMID: 29749072 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Narcissism is one of the most fundamental personality traits in which individuals in general population exhibit a large heterogeneity. Despite a surge of interest in examining behavioral characteristics of narcissism in the past decades, the neurobiological substrates underlying narcissism remain poorly understood. Here, we addressed this issue by applying a machine learning approach to decode trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were acquired for a large sample comprising 155 healthy adults, each of whom was assessed for trait narcissism. Using a linear prediction model, we examined the relationship between whole-brain RSFC and trait narcissism. We demonstrated that the machine-learning model was able to decode individual trait narcissism from RSFC across multiple neural systems, including functional connectivity between and within limbic and prefrontal systems as well as their connectivity with other networks. Key nodes that contributed to the prediction model included the amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate regions that have been linked to trait narcissism. These findings remained robust using different validation procedures. Our findings thus demonstrate that RSFC among multiple neural systems predicts trait narcissism at the individual level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyang Geng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruolei Gu
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Wu
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
- Depatment of Psychology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
This article outlines personality traits such as psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sadism which, when elevated in health leaders, may have negative effects upon teams, the organizations they work for, and ultimately the public. The implications of such traits for specific core health leadership competency domains are explored as well as potential mitigation approaches to minimize and possibly redirect such personality traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Lynn Nigro
- 1 Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kawamichi H, Sugawara SK, Hamano YH, Kitada R, Nakagawa E, Kochiyama T, Sadato N. Neural correlates underlying change in state self-esteem. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1798. [PMID: 29379129 PMCID: PMC5788979 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20074-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
State self-esteem, the momentary feeling of self-worth, functions as a sociometer involved in maintenance of interpersonal relations. How others’ appraisal is subjectively interpreted to change state self-esteem is unknown, and the neural underpinnings of this process remain to be elucidated. We hypothesized that changes in state self-esteem are represented by the mentalizing network, which is modulated by interactions with regions involved in the subjective interpretation of others’ appraisal. To test this hypothesis, we conducted task-based and resting-state fMRI. Participants were repeatedly presented with their reputations, and then rated their pleasantness and reported their state self-esteem. To evaluate the individual sensitivity of the change in state self-esteem based on pleasantness (i.e., the subjective interpretation of reputation), we calculated evaluation sensitivity as the rate of change in state self-esteem per unit pleasantness. Evaluation sensitivity varied across participants, and was positively correlated with precuneus activity evoked by reputation rating. Resting-state fMRI revealed that evaluation sensitivity was positively correlated with functional connectivity of the precuneus with areas activated by negative reputation, but negatively correlated with areas activated by positive reputation. Thus, the precuneus, as the part of the mentalizing system, serves as a gateway for translating the subjective interpretation of reputation into state self-esteem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Kawamichi
- Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 116-8551, Japan. .,Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan. .,School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan.
| | - Sho K Sugawara
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan.,Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 169-8555, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yuki H Hamano
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan.,The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan
| | - Ryo Kitada
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan.,School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 14 Nanyang Avenue, 637332, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eri Nakagawa
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | | | - Norihiro Sadato
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chester DS, Lynam DR, Milich R, DeWall CN. Physical aggressiveness and gray matter deficits in ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Cortex 2017; 97:17-22. [PMID: 29073459 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
What causes individuals to hurt others? Since the famous case of Phineas Gage, lesions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) have been reliably linked to physically aggressive behavior. However, it is unclear whether naturally-occurring deficits in VMPFC, among normal individuals, might have widespread consequences for aggression. Using voxel based morphometry, we regressed gray matter density from the brains of 138 normal female and male adults onto their dispositional levels of physical aggression, verbal aggression, and sex, simultaneously. Physical, but not verbal, aggression was associated with reduced gray matter volume in the VMPFC and to a lesser extent, frontopolar cortex. Participants with less gray matter density in this VMPFC cluster were much more likely to engage in real-world violence. These findings suggest that even granular deficits in normal individuals' VMPFC gray matter can promote physical aggression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David S Chester
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA.
| | - Donald R Lynam
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Jauk E, Benedek M, Koschutnig K, Kedia G, Neubauer AC. Self-viewing is associated with negative affect rather than reward in highly narcissistic men: an fMRI study. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5804. [PMID: 28724894 PMCID: PMC5517462 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03935-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Subclinical narcissism is a personality trait with two faces: According to social-cognitive theories it is associated with grandiosity and feelings of superiority, whereas psychodynamic theories emphasize vulnerable aspects like fluctuating self-esteem and emotional conflicts. The psychodynamic view, however, is commonly not supported by self-report studies on subclinical narcissism. Personality neuroscience might help to better understand the phenomenon of narcissism beyond the limits of self-report research. While social-cognitive theory would predict that self-relevant processing should be accompanied by brain activity in reward-related areas in narcissistic individuals, psychodynamic theory would suggest that it should be accompanied by activation in regions pointing to negative affect or emotional conflict. In this study, extreme groups of high and low narcissistic individuals performed a visual self-recognition paradigm during fMRI. Viewing one's own face (as compared to faces of friends and strangers) was accompanied by greater activation of the dorsal and ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in highly narcissistic men. These results suggest that highly narcissistic men experience greater negative affect or emotional conflict during self-relevant processing and point to vulnerable aspects of subclinical narcissism that might not be apparent in self-report research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Jauk
- University of Graz/Austria, BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | | | | | - Gayannée Kedia
- University of Graz/Austria, BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes recent executive functions research to better delineate the nosology of personality disorders. RECENT FINDINGS This review indicates that there are consistent impairments in executive functioning in people with personality disorders as compared with matched controls. Only five disorders were considered: borderline, obsessive-compulsive, antisocial, narcissistic, and schizotypal. Significant deficits are observed in decision-making, working memory, inhibition, and flexibility. Relevant data for the remaining personality disorders have not yet been published in relation to the executive functions. SUMMARY People with personality disorders could present a pattern of neurocognitive alterations that suggest a specific impairment of the prefrontal areas. The executive dysfunctions could partially explain the behavioral alterations in people with personality disorders.Further research should adopt broader considerations of effects of comorbidity and clinical heterogeneity, include community samples and, possibly, longitudinal designs with samples of youth.
Collapse
|
21
|
Chavez RS, Heatherton TF. Structural integrity of frontostriatal connections predicts longitudinal changes in self-esteem. Soc Neurosci 2016; 12:280-286. [PMID: 26966986 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2016.1164753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Diverse neurological and psychiatric conditions are marked by a diminished sense of positive self-regard, and reductions in self-esteem are associated with risk for these disorders. Recent evidence has shown that the connectivity of frontostriatal circuitry reflects individual differences in self-esteem. However, it remains an open question as to whether the integrity of these connections can predict self-esteem changes over larger timescales. Using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and probabilistic tractography, we demonstrate that the integrity of white matter pathways linking the medial prefrontal cortex to the ventral striatum predicts changes in self-esteem 8 months after initial scanning in a sample of 30 young adults. Individuals with greater integrity of this pathway during the scanning session at Time 1 showed increased levels of self-esteem at follow-up, whereas individuals with lower integrity showed stifled or decreased levels of self-esteem. These results provide evidence that frontostriatal white matter integrity predicts the trajectory of self-esteem development in early adulthood, which may contribute to blunted levels of positive self-regard seen in multiple psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Chavez
- a Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences , Dartmouth College , Hanover , NH , USA.,b Department of Psychology , Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA
| | - Todd F Heatherton
- a Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences , Dartmouth College , Hanover , NH , USA
| |
Collapse
|