Different slopes for different folks: Gender moderates the relationship between empathy and narcissism
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Different slopes for different folks: Gender moderates the relationship between empathy and narcissism JohnBosco Chika Chukwuorji 1 & Charity N. Uzuegbu 2 & Favour Agbo 1 & Chuka Mike Ifeagwazi 1 & Genevieve Chimaoge Ebulum 3
# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract Narcissism is reportedly on the increase across generations and one fundamental factor in narcissism is limited empathy. This study examined whether gender moderates the relationship between multidimensional empathy (Empathic Concern, Fantasy, Personal Distress, and Perspective Taking) and narcissism. Participants were 331 undergraduate students in a Nigerian university (197 men and 134 women; Mean age = 21.13, SD = 2.65). Data was obtained using self-report questionnaires consisting of Narcissism Spectrum Scale, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and a section for relevant demographic information. Moderation analysis showed that there was a stronger negative association between three dimensions of empathy (Empathic Concern, Fantasy, and Perspective Taking) and narcissism for women, but gender effects on the relationship between Personal Distress and narcissism was not significant. Controlling for the effect of age, Multivariate Analysis of Covariance indicated that women had higher Fantasy and Personal Distress than men, but men had higher narcissism than women. The findings are considered to have implications especially in development of gender-based intervention programmes to curtail the rising occurrence of narcissistic traits. Keywords Biosocial role theory . Empathy . Evolutionary theory . Gender . Moderation . Narcissism
Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by an overinflated and exaggerated sense of self-importance, a heightened feeling of uniqueness and individualism (Emmons 1984), a self-aggrandizing, vain, exhibitionistic character (Raskin and Terry 1988), and a dominant orientation toward others (Geukes et al. 2017). Narcissists constantly seek attention and admiration by boasting about their accomplishments (Jonason et al. 2013), take particular care of their physical appearance (Vazire et al. 2008), and harbour feelings of entitlement they do not deserve (Lee and Ashton 2005; Selle et al. 2017). They also have a general disregard for others, which can be seen in their willingness to manipulate and exploit others in order to achieve personal goals (Konrath et al. 2016). The narcissist may appear confident, but his/her self-
* JohnBosco Chika Chukwuorji [email protected] 1
Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state 41000, Nigeria
2
Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
3
Institute of Ecumenical Education, Thinkers Corner, Enugu, Nigeria
esteem is fragile and variable (Geukes et al. 2017), a contrast often called the ‘narcissistic paradox’ (Larsen and Buss, 2009). In recent times, narcissism is conceptualized as existing on a continuum between grandiose and vulnerable phenotypes (Pincus and Lukowitsky 2010). Grandiose nar
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