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Don't set me off—grandiose and vulnerable dimensions of narcissism are associated with different forms of aggression: A multivariate regression analysis

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Abstract

Theories and research regarding aggression have variously implicated low self-esteem, high self-esteem, and unstable self-esteem as a moderator of aggressive behaviours. Given that narcissism is rooted in self-esteem issues, it is a personality construct relevant to the study of aggression. Two fluctuating, and sometimes vacillating, narcissism phenotypes, grandiosity, and vulnerability, may display differing relationships with aggression and aggressive behaviours. One coping mechanism for self-esteem issues, problematic alcohol use behaviours, shows positive independent associations with both narcissism and aggression and therefore may act as an exacerbating factor. Given this complexity, the current study aimed to model grandiose and vulnerable narcissism phenotypes together and examine their relation to both observable manifestations and cognitive measures of aggression, while simultaneously examining the potential contributing effect of alcohol use behaviours in an online community-based survey; N = 1883, aged between 18 and 77 years (M = 33.33, SD = 13.76). While grandiose narcissism is uniquely associated with verbal aggression, vulnerable narcissism appears to be more critical in understanding a variety of forms of aggression. Alcohol use behaviours, while related to aggression, did not influence these associations. Our findings suggest that vulnerable narcissism is a far more severe concern for predicting several types of aggression than the grandiose dimension. Implications for future research and practice are explored.

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Acknowledgements

Dr Nicolas Droste, Joseph Daffy, Ronali Bogahalanda, Luke McNaughton

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There has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome, this research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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  1. School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20001, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia

    Colby J. C. Bryce, David R. Skvarc, Ross M. King & Shannon Hyder

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Table 5 Standardisation analyses – model pathways when age and gender are excluded
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Bryce, C.J.C., Skvarc, D.R., King, R.M. et al. Don't set me off—grandiose and vulnerable dimensions of narcissism are associated with different forms of aggression: A multivariate regression analysis. Curr Psychol 42, 10177–10185 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02318-x

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