New research has highlighting how facets of grandiose narcissism can play a crucial role in how we assess other people’s intelligence. Published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the study provides fascinating insights into how narcissistic traits are linked to the subjective assessment of intelligence.
Narcissism is often mistakenly considered a one-dimensional trait associated with excessive self-love. But the study posits that it is a multidimensional construct, primarily consisting of two key facets: narcissistic admiration and narcissistic rivalry. While narcissistic admiration is linked to self-enhancement and self-promotion tendencies, narcissistic rivalry is inclined towards self-defense, manifesting in the devaluation of others.
Previous research had highlighted that those with higher levels of narcissistic admiration tend to overestimate their intelligence. However, this recent study is ground-breaking in investigating how narcissistic traits, specifically rivalry, affect the evaluation of other people’s intelligence.
Involving a sample size of 328 Polish participants, the study was conducted online and assessed two experimental conditions: feeling accepted and feeling rejected. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 64, with an average age of about 27 years. After filling out the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ), they evaluated their intelligence and that of someone they had recalled from an autobiographical memory, based on their feelings of acceptance or rejection.
Under both conditions, the study found significant patterns. When individuals felt rejected, they generally evaluated others as possessing lower intelligence and fewer communal attributes such as empathy. In contrast, narcissistic admiration positively correlated with self-assessed intelligence. But it was the narcissistic rivalry that was negatively associated with the evaluation of others’ intelligence.
Understanding how narcissism impacts our evaluation of intelligence is crucial given that intelligence is a key factor that influences various aspects of life success, such as academic achievement, job performance, and even health. The evaluation of others plays a significant role in a variety of real-life scenarios, from workplace dynamics to social relationships.
With this research, the psychological community gains deeper insights into the complexities of human perception, particularly how situational factors and personality traits interact to influence our judgments of others. The study also emphasises that narcissistic traits may not only affect how we see ourselves but also how we perceive those around us, extending to crucial aspects like intelligence.
This research has noteworthy implications for both academic scholars and the broader public. Understanding the impact of narcissistic traits on intelligence assessments can be invaluable in various fields such as organisational psychology, education, and even in interpersonal relationships. It can also be beneficial in clinical settings, providing insights into how self-perception and the perception of others might be skewed due to narcissistic traits. The study might pave the way for developing interventions that focus on how personality traits influence social cognition.
While the study offers a comprehensive look into the intricate interplay between narcissistic traits and intelligence assessment, it is crucial to note that the sample consisted largely of Polish participants. Future studies could aim to expand the demographic reach to substantiate the universality of these findings.
The study also opens doors to explore how other personality traits might interact with narcissism to influence intelligence assessments, adding another layer to our understanding of human psychology.
