Skip to main content

Empathy, sex role orientation, and narcissism

Sex Roles volume 30, pages 701–723 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

A narcissism model of sex roles was used to examine empathy and other forms of interpersonal reactivity. Questionnaires were administered to 141 males and 232 females sampled from an undergraduate population that was 89% Caucasian and 11% mostly African-American minority. A Peer-Group Dependence measure of narcissistic idealization correlated predictably with femininity, empathy, and a communal orientation; and a Pseudoautonomy measure of narcissistic grandiosity displayed expected linkages with masculinity and Machiavellianism. Multiple regressions confirmed that the self could be defined in terms of both its mature and immature features; and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the narcissism model was somewhat superior to a sex roles model in describing the often complex interrelationships among measures of sex roles, narcissism, and interpersonal reactivity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Ashmore, R. D. (1990). Sex, gender, and the individual. In L. A. Pervin (Ed.),Handbook of personality (pp. 486–526). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakan, D. (1966).The duality of human existence. Boston: Beacon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M. (1989).EQS: Structural equations program manual. Los Angeles: BMDP Statistical Software.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models.Psychological Bulletin, 107, 238–246.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M. & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures.Psychological Bulletin, 88, 588–606.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, W. M., & Davis, M. H. (1982). Perspective-taking, self-consciousness, and accuracy in person perception.Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 3, 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, K. A. (1989).Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Willey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chodorow, N. (1978).The reproduction of mothering. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chodorow, N. (1989).Feminism and psychoanalytic theory. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970).Studies in Machiavellianism. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. S., Mills, J., & Powell, M. C. (1986). Keeping track of needs in communal and exchange relationships.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 333–338.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. S., Ouellette, R., Powell, M. C., & Milberg (1987). Recipient's mood, relationship type, and helping.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 94–103.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, C. G., & Comrey, A. L. (1967). Scales for measuring depression and anxiety.Journal of Psychology, 66, 303–313.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1980). A multidimensional approach to individual differences in empathy.JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 10, 85 (ms. No. 2124).

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1983a). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 113–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1983b). The effects of dispositional empathy on emotional reactions and helping: A multidimensional approach.Journal of Personality, 51, 167–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1983c). Empathic concern and the muscular dystrophy telethon: Empathy as a multidimensional construct.Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9, 223–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H., Hull, J. G., Young, R. D., & Warren, G. G. (1987). Emotional reactions to dramatic film stimuli: The influence of cognitive and emotional empathy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 126–133.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gable, M., Hollon, C., & Dangello, F. (1990). Relating locus of control to Machiavellianism and managerial achievement.Psychological Reports.67, 339–343.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayduk, L. A. (1987).Structural equation modeling with LISREL. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holahan, C. K., Spence, J. T. (1980). Desirable and undesirable masculine and feminine traits in counseling clients and unselected students.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 300–302.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kernis, M. H., Grannemann, B. D., & Barclay, L. C. (1992). Stability of self-esteem: Assessment, correlates, and excuse making.Journal of Personality, 60, 621–644.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H. (1977).The restoration of the self. New York: International Universities Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H. (1978). Forms and transformations of narcissism. In P. H. Ornstein (Ed.),The search for the self (Vol. 1) Madison, CT: International Universities press (original work published in 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H. (1984). In A. Goldberg and P. E. Stepansky (Eds.),How does analysis cure? Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapan, R., & Patton, M. J. (1986). Self-psychology and the adolescent process: Measures of pseudoautonomy and peer-group dependence.Journal of Counselling Psychology, 33, 136–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, T., Watson, P. J., Biderman, M. D., & Ozbek, I. N. (1992). Narcissism and object relations.Psychological Reports, 71, 799–808.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Locksley, A., & Colten, M. E. (1979). Psychological androgyny: A case of mistaken identity?Journal of Personality and Social psychology, 37, 1017–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loehlin, J. C. (1987).Latent variable models. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubinski, D., Tellegen, A., & Butcher, J. N. (1981). The relationship between androgyny and subjective indicators of emotional well-being.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40, 722–730.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Antill, J. K., & Cunningham, J. D. (1989). Masculinity and femininity: A bipolar construct and independent constructs.Journal of Personality, 57, 625–663.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muslin, H. L. (1985). Heinz Kohut: Beyond the pleasure principle, contributions to psychoanalysis. In J. Reppen (Ed.),Beyond Freud (pp. 203–229). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Brien, M. L. (1987). Examining the dimensionality of pathological narcissism: Factor analysis and construct validity of the O'Brien Multiphasic Narcissism Inventory.Psychological Reports, 61, 499–510.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O'Brien, M. L. (1988). Further evidence of the validity of the O'Brien Multiphasic Narcissism Inventory.Psychological Reports, 62, 879–882.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965).Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, E. E. (1988). The debate on individualism.American Psychologist, 43, 15–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawrie, S. M., Watson, P. J., & Biderman, M. D. (1991). Aggression, sex role measures, and Kohut's psychology of the self.Sex Roles, 25, 141–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serif, C. W. (1982). Needed concepts in the study of gender identity.Psychology of Women Quarterly, 6, 375–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. L. (1981). Androgyny versus gender schema: A comment on Bem's gender schema theory.Psychological Review, 88, 365–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R., & Stapp, J. (1974). The personal attributes questionnaire: A measure of sex role stereotypes and masculinity-femininity.JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 4, 43 (ms. No. 617).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R. L., Holahan, C. K. (1979). Negative and positive components of psychological masculinity and femininity and their relationships to self-reports of neurotic and acting out behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1673–1682.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P. J., & Biderman, M. D. Narcissistic traits scale: Validity evidence and sex differences in narcissism.Personality and Individual Differences. In Press.

  • Watson, P. J., Hood, R. W., Jr., Moris, R. J., & Hall, J. R. (1987a). The relationship between religiosity and narcissism.Counselling and Values, 31, 179–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P. J., Taylor, D., & Morris, R. J. (1987b). Narcissism, sex roles, and self-functioning.Sex Roles, 16, 335–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P. J., McKinney, J., Hawkins, C., & Morris, R. J. (1988). Assertiveness and narcissism.Psychotherapy, 25, 125–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P. J. Hickman, S. E., & Morris, R. J. (1993).Narcissism and shame: Evidence for a continuum of adjusted and maladjusted self-functioning. In preparation.

  • Watson, P. J., Biderman, M. D., & Boyd, C. (1989). Androgyny as synthetic narcissism: Sex role measures and Kohut's psychology of the self.Sex Roles, 21, 175–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P. J., Little, T., Sawrie, S. M., & Biderman, M. D. (1992). Measures of the narcissistic personality: Complexity of relationships with self-esteem and empathy.Journal of Personality Disorders, 6, 433–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westen, D. (1985).Self and society. Cambridge University Press.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 350 Holt Hall, 615 McCallie Avenue, 37403, Chattanooga, TN, USA

    P. J. Watson, Michael D. Biderman & Steve M. Sawrie

Authors
  1. P. J. Watson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael D. Biderman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Steve M. Sawrie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. J. Watson.

Additional information

The contributions of Dr. Bernard E. Whitley, Jr., and one anonymous reviewer are gratefully acknowledged.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Watson, P.J., Biderman, M.D. & Sawrie, S.M. Empathy, sex role orientation, and narcissism. Sex Roles 30, 701–723 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544671

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544671

Keywords

  • Social Psychology
  • Confirmatory Factor Analysis
  • Immature Feature
  • Role Model
  • Dependence Measure