Under the thin skin of narcissus: Facial muscle activity reveals amplified emotional responses to negative social evaluation in individuals with grandiose narcissistic traits
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Published:2023-04-25
Issue:9
Volume:60
Page:
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ISSN:0048-5772
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Container-title:Psychophysiology
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Psychophysiology
Author:
Harjunen Ville J.1ORCID,
Krusemark Elizabeth2ORCID,
Stigzelius Saskia13,
Halmesvaara Otto W.4,
Annala Mikko4,
Henttonen Pentti1ORCID,
Määttänen Ilmari1,
Silfver Mia4,
Keltikangas‐Järvinen Liisa1,
Ravaja Niklas1
Affiliation:
1. Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
2. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Millsaps College Jackson Mississippi USA
3. Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Helsinki Finland
4. Social Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
Abstract
AbstractIndividuals with grandiose narcissism exhibit enhanced antagonism and a defensive pattern of discordance between their emotional and physiological reactions to self‐threatening evaluations. Although theoretical perspectives link narcissistic defensiveness to negative emotions, empirical evidence linking grandiose narcissism to emotional reactivity remains mixed. The current study used self‐reported affect, electrocardiography, and facial electromyography (fEMG) to examine whether people scoring high in grandiose narcissism show amplified physiological and self‐reported emotional reactivity to negative social evaluation. Following two challenging cognitive tasks, participants received negative and neutral feedback in a face‐to‐face evaluation situation. Receiving negative feedback decreased self‐reported positive affect and dominance, slowed heart rate, and amplified fEMG activity related to frowning and eye constriction. Although self‐reported emotional reactions were unrelated to grandiose narcissism, fEMG activity associated with negative affect was significantly enhanced by grandiose narcissism. In conclusion, individuals with higher levels of grandiose narcissism may not be willing to report overt emotional reactivity to self‐threatening feedback, but physiological responses “beneath their thin skin” reveal amplified threat‐related facial muscle activity suggestive of a negative emotional state.
Funder
Academy of Finland
Subject
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology,Biological Psychiatry,Cognitive Neuroscience,Developmental Neuroscience,Endocrine and Autonomic Systems,Neurology,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology,General Neuroscience