Collective narcissism: How being narcissistic about your groups shapes politics, group processes and intergroup relations

Collective narcissism is a belief in the greatness of one’s social group, accompanied by a conviction that others do not appreciate the in-group enough. In this chapter, we review empirical studies which elucidate the antecedents and consequences of collective narcissism. Collective narcissism is thought to compensate for frustrated individual needs. Thus, those high in collective narcissism are more concerned with how their group reflects on them, rather than with caring for other in-group members. Accordingly, collective narcissism is associated with readiness to defend the in-group image from criticism but also using in-group members for personal gains. Furthermore, collective narcissism predicts negative out-group attitudes, extensive sensitivity to intergroup threats, conspiracy beliefs, intergroup hostility, and support for violent extremism. We discuss the implications of collective narcissism for voting and public policy, showing that it is associated with support for populist parties and politicians, anti-environmental policies as well as problematic public health policies.