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Psychophysiological characteristics of narcissism during active and passive coping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2001

ROBERT M. KELSEY ,
SIDNEY R. ORNDUFF ,
CHRISTINA M. McCANN  and
SARAH REIFF
ROBERT M. KELSEY
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, USA
SIDNEY R. ORNDUFF
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
CHRISTINA M. McCANN
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
SARAH REIFF
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, MA, USA
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Abstract

This study provides the first psychophysiological analysis of narcissism by measuring autonomic responses during active and passive anticipatory coping in 40 undergraduate men who scored high or low on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). Compared to the low NPI group, the high NPI group showed greater preejection period (PEP) shortening, cardiac deceleration, and skin conductance response (SCR) habituation during anticipation of an aversive stimulus (p < .02). As expected, SCR and PEP reactivity were greater during active than passive coping. In the case of PEP, this effect emerged only in the low NPI group; the high NPI group showed the greatest PEP reactivity during the first task, regardless of coping demands. These data support hypothesized relationships among narcissism, psychopathy, and psychological predictors of cardiovascular disease, and suggest that a psychobiological dimension may underlie important features of narcissism.

Keywords

NarcissismSkin conductance responseCardiovascular reactivityPsychopathyPersonalityImpedance cardiography
Type
Research Article
Information
Psychophysiology , Volume 38 , Issue 2 , March 2001 , pp. 292 - 303
Copyright
2001 Society for Psychophysiological Research

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