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.