How Antagonism Unfolds as a Trait of Narcissism

When psychologists talk about narcissism and the key characteristics that define a narcissistic personality, they often describe antagonism ... Skiptomaincontent W.KeithCampbell,Ph.D.,andCarolynCrist NewScienceofNarcissism Narcissism HowAntagonismUnfoldsasaTraitofNarcissism Canyoubecallousinspecificways?Newresearchinvestigatesantagonism. PostedNovember2,2020 | ReviewedbyLybiMa Share Tweet Email THEBASICS WhatIsNarcissism? Findatherapistwhounderstandsnarcissism Whenpsychologiststalkaboutnarcissismandthekeycharacteristicsthatdefineanarcissisticpersonality,theyoftendescribeantagonismasacoreingredientofthenarcissismrecipe.Psychologicalstudieshavenotedthisconsistentcorrelationfordecades.Atthesametime,fewstudieshavedugintoanuancedunderstandingofantagonismitselfanditsrelatedfactors,suchasmanipulativenessandalackofconcernforothers. Anewpaper,inPersonalityDisorders:Theory,Research,andTreatment,uncoversthestructureofantagonism,layerbylayer.LeadauthorChelseaSleep,alongwithUniversityofGeorgiacolleaguessuchasresearcherJoshMiller,foundthatsevenfactorsemergedasmajorplayers:aggression,callousness,domineeringbehavior,grandiosity,manipulation,risk-tasking,andsuspiciousness.Theycrafteda“bass-ackwards”modelthatpullstherelatedfactorstogether. Source:Sleepet.al./UniversityofGeorgia “Muchoftheworkonthelower-orderstructureofpersonalityhasbeenrationally,ratherthanempiricallyderived,”theywrote,addingthat“despitesomesimilaritiesacrossmodels,acloserlookatthelower-orderfacetsrevealsalackofagreementinthestructureofantagonism.” In2018,Millerandcolleaguesderivedalower-orderstructureforagreeableness—oftenregardedastheoppositeendofantagonisminthe“Big5”structureofpersonality—thathadfivemainfacets:compassion,morality,modesty,affability,andtrust. Intheir2019book,TheHandbookofAntagonism,Millerandco-authorDonaldLynamlookedattheunderpinningsofantagonismandhowitrelatestoexternalizingbehaviorssuchasaggression,crime,riskysexualbehavior,substanceuse,andantisocialbehavior. Inthispaper,theydelvedfurtherintothelower-orderaspectsofantagonismtounderstandifthemodelforagreeablenesswouldworkforitscounterpartaswell. Theresearchteamsurveyed532participantswithapoolofpersonalinventoryquestionsthatincludedmorethan200antagonism-relatedfacetssuchascallousness,distrust,rudeness,self-centeredness,reactiveanger,andexploitativeness.Overall,callousness—definedasalackofempathyorconcernforothers—hadthestrongestrelationshipwithantagonism.Followingthat,anti-socialbehavioremergedasanexplanationoftherude,deceptive,andhostilebehavioramongthosewhoexhibitantagonistictraits. Fascinatingly,ruthlessself-interesthadasimilarprofiletotheanti-socialfactor,whichshowedupasanarcissistic,domineering,andexploitativeinterpersonalstyle.Alackofconstraintanddomineeringbehaviorappearedaswell.Ingeneral,theresearchteamconcluded,peoplewhoexhibitantagonismhavegrandioseself-interestandaregenerallysuspiciousofothersandwillingtomanipulatethem. Withnarcissism,inparticular,theresearchteamsawthatruthlessself-interestrosetothetop,aswellasasenseofgrandiosityanddomineering,manipulativebehaviorfocusedongainingcontrolofothers. Thestudyhasimportantimplicationsforthewayweseeantagonismandevaluateit,aswellasthespecificlinkstonarcissism.Inthefuture,theresearchteamsuggestscreatingastandalone,free-to-usemeasurethatcanbetestedwithotherpersonalityinventoriesinclinicalcasesandresearch.Essentially,wemaygrowagreaterunderstandingof“how”peoplecanberuthlessorrudeindifferentways—andhowthatmayrelatetolargerquestionsaroundnarcissism. THEBASICS WhatIsNarcissism? Findatherapistwhounderstandsnarcissism Facebookimage:ShotPrimeStudio/Shutterstock References Sleep,C.E.,Crowe,M.L.,Carter,N.T.,Lynam,D.R.,&Miller,J.D.(2020).Uncoveringthestructureofantagonism.PersonalityDisorders:Theory,Research,andTreatment.Advanceonlinepublication.https://doi.org/10.1037/per0000416 Crowe,M.L.,Lynam,D.R.,&Miller,J.D.(2018).Uncoveringthestructureofagreeablenessfromself‐reportmeasures.JournalofPersonality,8,771-787.https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12358 Miller,J.D.,Lyman,D.R.(2019)TheHandbookofAntagonism:Conceptualizations,Assessment,Consequences,andTreatmentoftheLowEndofAgreeableness.AcademicPress.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814627-9.09994-1. More references Share Tweet Email advertisement AbouttheAuthor W.KeithCampbell,Ph.D.,isapsychologyprofessorattheUniversityofGeorgia. CarolynCristisahealthandsciencejournalist. Theyco-authoredthebookTheNewScienceofNarcissism. Online:NarcissismLab ReadNext WhyNarcissistsDemandLoyalty The2FacesofNarcissism:CanYouRecognizeThem? advertisement NarcissismEssentialReads The4CriticalStepsofaNarcissist'sInvasion 10SignsofaNarcissisticParent WhyDoesYourPartnerConstantlyCheat? IsYourMotheranExhibitionistNarcissist? The3TypesofNarcissists advertisement FindaTherapist Getthehelpyouneedfromatherapistnearyou–aFREEservicefromPsychologyToday. 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