Cited by 152Personality Traits and PsychologyEmotions and Moral BehaviorSocial and Intergroup Psychology

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Moving Narcissus: Can Narcissists Be Empathic?

Hepper, Erica G., Hart, Claire M., Sedikides, Constantine·2014·Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

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Abstract

Empathy plays a critical role in fostering and maintaining social relations. Narcissists lack empathy, and this may account for their interpersonal failures. But why do narcissists lack empathy? Are they incapable, or is change possible? Three studies addressed this question. Study 1 showed that the link between narcissism and low empathy generalizes to a specific target person presented in a vignette. The effect was driven by maladaptive narcissistic components (i.e., entitlement, exploitativeness, exhibitionism). Study 2 examined the effect of perspective-taking (vs. control) instructions on self-reported responses to a video. Study 3 examined the effect of the same manipulation on autonomic arousal (heart rate [HR]) during an audio-recording. Perspective-taking ameliorated negative links between maladaptive narcissism and both self-reported empathy and HR. That is, narcissists can be moved by another's suffering, if they take that person's perspective. The findings demonstrate that narcissists' low empathy does not reflect inability, implying potential for intervention.

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Authors: Hepper, E. G., Hart, C. M., & Sedikides, C.
Affiliations: University of Surrey (GB)
University of Southampton (GB)
ORCID: Hepper, Erica G.
Hart, Claire M.
Sedikides, Constantine
Venue: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2014-05-30
Volume: 40
Issue: 9
Pages: 1079-1091
ISSN: 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
1552-7433
DOI: 10.1177/0146167214535812
OpenAlex: W2096836634
Cited by: 152
References: 73
Citations by year: 2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 2
FWCI: 15.34
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion)
Open Research (University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Southampton Solent University
University of Southampton
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Keywords: narcissism, empathy, maladaptive narcissism, perspective taking, entitlement, exploitativeness, exhibitionism, autonomic arousal, heart rate, interpersonal relationships, empathy interventions

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Moving Narcissus: Can Narcissists Be Empathic?

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