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The Impact of narcissistic personality disorder on Individuals and Society
Table of Contents
Disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder influence interactions between people and relationships within society significantly. As such, there is a dire need to manage them and alleviate their effects on society.
In recent decades, there has been a recorded increase in the cases of narcissism across the world. As a condition where an individual has an excessively positive perception of self and negative about others, its impact extends to all spheres where individuals interact. Individuals presenting narcissistic behavior view themselves as superior to others, have an inflated self-perception, and depict a sense of entitlement and numerous undesirable behaviors (Baumeister et al., 2000). For instance, they are aggressive, lack gratitude and affiliation, and reveal the need to exploit others, they are hostile, self-centered, and self-aggrandizing.
These behaviors have consequences for self and society. This paper reviews the literature on the condition, different types of narcissism, its prevalence, and its effect on self and society. The impact of the disorder on narcissistic individuals and society remains detrimental and calls for mitigation.
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Literature Review
Defining Narcissism, Narcissistic Behavior, and its Components
The development of narcissism in society continues to influence individuals at personal, interpersonal, and societal levels. According to Twenge and Foster (2010), narcissism is an overblown sense of self, where a person overly adores and loves him or herself. Sedikides et al. (2004) offer a similar definition of the condition and the different types of narcissism. The authors outline subclinical, pathological, and normal narcissism. The authors assert that subclinical narcissistic individuals depict dominant, self-centered, self-aggrandizing, and manipulative interpersonal alignment.
Twenge and Foster (2010) support Sedikides et al. (2004) who also add that narcissism comprises different components that define the behavior of narcissists and influence their interaction with other individuals in society. For instance, the authors highlight exploitation, entitlement, superiority, self-sufficiency, exhibitionism, and vanity as key components that influence the condition (Sedikides et al., 2004).
According to Sedikides et al. (2004), narcissists depict excessive love for self than for others while high-level narcissists view themselves positively but perceive others negatively. However, the authors argue that all narcissists reveal a lack of gratitude, empathy, affiliation, and need for intimacy. Traits common to them include anger, desire to exploit others, competitiveness, hostility, and mistrust (Sedikides, et al., 2004).
O’Reilly et al. (2013), Neff and Vonk (2009) and Foster et al. (2003) support the argument through the depiction of narcissists as people unwilling to support, care, love or show concern for the feelings and well-being of other people. For instance, while citing the DSM-IVTR, Foster, Campbell and Twenge (2003) state that narcissism is a personality disorder where a person depicts grandiosity, lacks empathy, and shows a desire for admiration by other people. The authors assert that the disorder is treatable through therapy, an argument supported by (Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute, 2014; Leedy et al., 2007; Pincus & Lukowitsky, 2010).
Prevalence of Narcissism
Twenge and Foster (2008) and Twenge and Foster (2010) discuss the prevalence of narcissism in society. Through a meta-analysis of college students in America, they identified a rising trend in society. The authors assert that the percentage of narcissistic students and young adults continued to rise over the years. According to their results, one out of three students from South Alabama between 2008-2009 depicted traits of narcissism. Most students answered questions in a narcissistic direction. Twenge and Foster (2010) assert that youth between 18 and 22 years were highly affected by narcissism. The higher prevalence among the youth is supported by Wickel (2015). This trend reveals the need to focus efforts on assisting the youth in fighting narcissism.
Theories of Narcissism Development
Different theories explain the development of narcissism. Kohut’s theory of self-psychology, for instance, offers an extensive explanation of the development of the condition (McLean, 2007). The theory connects the development of the disorder to self-objects that give children the ability to develop and maintain a sense of cohesion, self-structure, firmness, and steadiness. Failure to meet the self-objects leads to developmental arrest and pathologic narcissism.
Kohut’s theory outlines parental factors such as excessive admiration by the parents, unreliable and poor parental caregiving, and emotional abuse of an individual during childhood (McLean, 2007). Kernberg’s theory of narcissism development supports Kohut’s theory but differs by arguing that the disorder develops at the late stage of oral development (Russell, 1985).
Twenge and Foster (2010) attributed the increasing tendencies of narcissism to lifestyle and culture changes, relaxation of social norms and glorification of individual freedom. These aspects are in line with Kohut’s theory of narcissism development.
Moreover, Wickel (2015) cites social networking sites as the biggest contributors towards the development and rise of narcissism in society. The argument supports Twenge and Foster (2008) who identify a higher increase in narcissists in the last decade, especially with the increasing adoption and use of social networking sites (Wickel, 2015). Twenge and Foster (2008) show a significant increase in narcissistic Asian Americans between 2002 and 2007. Fifty-seven percent of Asian-American students involved in the study recorded NPI scores higher than average (Twenge & Foster, 2008).
A narcissistic personality disorder is connected to different undesirable behaviors that affect self and society. Concern that narcissism causes the development of violence amongst narcissistic individuals has prompted extensive research on the matter. Bushman and Baumeister (2002) discuss narcissism and its influence on the individual and close people in depth. The authors argue that narcissistic individuals are highly likely to engage in violence.
O’Reilly et al. (2013) support Bushman and Baumeister’s (2002) study argument by stating that narcissistic individuals consider themselves better than and superior to others and would do anything to be viewed as such. The authors posit that excessive self-love leads people to pursue superiority over others within society. According to Bushman and Baumeister (2002), narcissism predicts aggressive and violent behavior, which results from the need to control and be superior to others. The authors assert that a blow to a narcissistic individual’s ego aggravates violent behavior (Bushman & Baumeister, 2002). Violent behavior makes it difficult for narcissists to maintain close relationships and often injures their victims, at times causing death.
Narcissism and Aggressive Behavior
Baumeister et al. (2000) discuss the relation between self-esteem, narcissism, and aggression. The authors disprove traditional views that low self-esteem triggers aggression. They argue that people with high self-esteem are more likely to commit aggressive acts compared to people with low self-esteem.
However, the authors posit that not all people with high self-esteem reveal traits of aggression. According to Baumeister et al. (2000), unstable self-esteem or narcissism remains the most effective construct in predicting violence. The authors assert that narcissistic people and people with unstable self-esteem tend to be violent and inconsiderate of others. A 2002 study by the same authors supports the argument by stating that narcissism and low self-esteem predict violent behavior in individuals. In a group where people differ in levels of self-esteem, people with higher self-esteem are more likely to be violent. For instance, the study identifies that most murderers, wife beaters, rapists, gang members and aggressive nations tend to perceive themselves as superior (Baumeister et al., 2000). The traits of elevated self-love and perception of superiority are narcissistic, and it is only important to argue that narcissism causes violent behavior.
Many cases of rape, sexual coercion, and domestic violence mainly directed at women and other forms of aggressive behaviors in relationships are caused by narcissism. According to Bushman et al. (2003), at times male partners may use aggressive force to coerce their female partners into engaging in sexual activity without their consent. Such cases are highly prevalent in today’s society with rising cases of narcissism. The authors define rape and sexual coercion broadly to avoid the complication caused by different definitions. They assert that the use of force to coerce someone to sex or sexual activity, where the partner actively refuses amounts to sexual coercion or rape (Baumeister et al., 2000).
Though most individuals (perpetrators of rape and sexual coercion) do not necessarily want to harm their partners, continued refusal hurts their ego. As such, perpetrators may act aggressively and be willing to hurt their partners. Such acts result from the perception of self as superior and the lack of empathy among other traits that narcissistic individuals hold. Rape and sexual coercion affect the victims psychologically, emotionally, and physically and make it difficult for the narcissists to maintain relationships.
Narcissism in the Workplace
Apart from rape and sexual coercion in intimate relationships, narcissism has a significant influence in the workplace. According to O’Reilly et al. (2013), Gudmundsson and Southey (2011), and Galvin, Lange and Ashforth (2015), narcissism affects operations in different organizations significantly. O’Reilly and co-authors assert that individuals with narcissistic traits such as self-confidence, dominance, low empathy, grandiosity, and a sense of entitlement often hold leadership positions.
Signs of narcissistic personality disorders affects relationships in the workplace and organizational development immensely. Narcissistic CEOs make risky and impulsive decisions that directly affect the organization and its workforce. In addition, with narcissistic traits, such leaders show little empathy and concern for the employees and often exploit them. O’Reilly et al. (2013) argue that narcissistic CEOs influence the compensation channels disadvantaging employees while benefitting the superiors the most. Galvin, Lange and Ashforth (2015) offer similar ideas in presenting narcissism in organizations. The authors argue that narcissistic individuals view the organization as exploitable and often use it for personal gain.
Conclusion
This paper illuminates the pervasive and detrimental impact that narcissistic personality disorders have on individuals and society. Its growing prevalence in the recent past has caused insurmountable effects and highlights the urgency of interventions.
Various theories highlight the developmental roots of narcissism. The disorder among colleges develops from modern lifestyles and cultures, the extensive use of social networking sites and the internet, and parenting that nurtures children with an inflated view of self. Undesirable behaviors such as aggression, hate, anger, hostility, grandiosity, lack of empathy and the lack of the desire for intimacy among others affect self and others within the society.
There is a need to seek psychological help to address this complex disorder. Therapeutic interventions to manage the disorder and alleviate its effects on individuals and society are essential.
References
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