Face Perception and Narcissism: Variations of Event-Related Potential Components (P1 & N170) with Admiration and Riv
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Face Perception and Narcissism: Variations of Event-Related Potential Components (P1 & N170) with Admiration and Rivalry Markus Mück 1 & Katharina Ohmann 1 & Sebastian Dummel 1 & André Mattes 1 & Ulrike Thesing 1 & Jutta Stahl 1
# The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated that highly narcissistic individuals perceive themselves as grandiose and devaluate and sometimes overvalue others. These results are mainly based on behavioural data, but we still know little about the neural correlates underlying, such as perceptional processes. To this end, we investigated event-related potential components (ERP) of visual face processing (P1 and N170) and their variations with narcissism. Participants (N = 59) completed the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire and were shown pictures of their own face, a celebrity’s face, and a stranger’s face. Variations of P1 and N170 with Admiration and Rivalry were analysed using multilevel models. Results revealed moderating effects of both narcissism dimensions on the ERP components of interest. Participants with either high Admiration or low Rivalry scores showed a lower P1 amplitude when viewing their own face compared with when viewing a celebrity’s face. Moreover, the Self-Stranger difference in the N170 component (higher N170 amplitude in the Self condition) was larger for higher Rivalry scores. The findings showed, for the first time, variations of both narcissism dimensions with ERPs of early face processing. We related these effects to processes of attentional selection, an expectancy-driven perception, and the mobilisation of defensive systems. The results demonstrated that by linking self-report instruments to P1 and N170, and possibly to other ERP components, we might better understand self- and other-perception in narcissism. Keywords P1 . N170 . event-related potentials (ERP) . narcissism . Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept (NARC)
Today’s concept of narcissism is rooted in ancient mythology. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses (1916, pp. 153-155), the author describes how Narcissus falls in love with himself, seeing his face in the silver white water of an unclouded fountain. Nothing can release his eyes from his face, and he falls into deep despair realising that he cannot reach what he sees. Although this narrative— depicting Narcissus’ perception of his face—marks the starting point of our modern understanding of narcissism, to date, we still know little about face perception in narcissism and its underlying psychological and neurophysiological processes. To date, mainly behavioural studies have suggested that narcissistic people are very fond of their own faces. For example, narcissism, at least in men, was shown to * Markus Mück [email protected] 1
Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Pohligstr 1, 50969 Köln, Germany
be positively associated with the number of selfies posted on social media platforms (Sorokowski et al., 2015). Furthermore, adolescents high in narcissism rat
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