“Isn’t It Fun to Get the Respect That We’re Going to Deserve?” Narcissism, Social Rejection, and Aggression
Abstract
Across four studies, narcissists were more angry and aggressive after experiencing a social rejection than were nonnarcissists. In Study 1, narcissism was positively correlated with feelings of anger and negatively correlated with more internalized negative emotions in a self-reported, past episode of social rejection. Study 2 replicated this effect for a concurrent lab manipulation of social rejection. In Study 3, narcissists aggressed more against someone who rejected them (i.e., direct aggression). In Study 4, narcissists were also more aggressive toward an innocent third party after experiencing social rejection (i.e., displaced aggression). Narcissists were not more aggressive after social acceptance. Self-esteem plays little role in predicting aggression in response to rejection. These results suggest that the combination of narcissism and social rejection is a powerful predictor of aggressive behavior.
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There is a sizable literature documenting maladaptive outcomes associated with so-called normal narcissism (grandiose narcissism), including a tendency to aggress against others with and without provocation and to engage in antisocial behavior.
“Indeed, there is a sizable literature that documents many of the maladaptive outcomes associated with so-called normal narcissism (i.e., grandiose narcissism), including a tendency to aggress against others both with and without provocation (Krizan & Johar 2015, Maples et al. 2010, Twenge & Campbell 2003) and to engage in antisocial behavior (Miller et al. 2010b).”
From Controversies in Narcissism (2017) · cites this paper as Twenge & Campbell 2003
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- Authors
- Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K.
- Affiliations
- San Diego State University (US)
- University of Georgia (US)
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2003-02
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 261-272
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2092419361
- Cited by
- 776
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 82 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 42 · 2013: 49 · 2012: 42
- FWCI
- 16.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (F32MH012329, MH-12329)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- narcissism, social rejection, aggression, anger, displaced aggression, direct aggression, self-esteem, social acceptance
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Aggression, Female, Humans, Male, Narcissism, Rejection, Psychology, Self Concept, Social Perception
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