Research article summary (published 19 Jul 2009):

The metamorphosis of Narcissus: communal activation promotes relationship commitment among narcissists.

Full Abstract

Three studies tested the hypotheses that the activation of communal mental representations promotes relationship commitment (communal activation hypothesis) and that this effect is stronger among narcissists than among nonnarcissists (Communal Activation x Narcissism hypothesis). Across experimental, longitudinal, and interaction-based research methods, and in participant samples ranging from college students to married couples, results supported the communal activation hypothesis in two of three studies and the Communal Activation x Narcissism hypothesis in all three studies. Moreover, a meta-analytic summary of the results across the three studies revealed that the association of communal activation with commitment was significant overall and that it was stronger among narcissists than among nonnarcissists. Narcissists tended to be less committed than nonnarcissists at low levels of communal activation, but this effect diminished and sometimes even reversed at high levels. This work is the first to identify a mechanism by which narcissists can become more committed relationship partners.

Author information

Author/s: Finkel, Eli J (EJ); Campbell, W Keith (WK); Buffardi, Laura E (LE); Kumashiro, Madoka (M); Rusbult, Caryl E (CE);

Affiliation: Northwestern University, USA. finkel(-atsign-)northwestern.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Meta-Analysis

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 35 (issue 10) : pp 1271-84

Dates: Created 2009/09/04; Completed 2009/10/19;

PMID: 19622759, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/19/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Affect Courtship - psychology Cues Defense Mechanisms Ego Female Humans Interpersonal Relations Male Marriage - psychology

Marriage - psychology Narcissism Pattern Recognition, Visual Personality Development Personality Disorders - diagnosis; psychology Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data Psychometrics Social Behavior Social Identification Young Adult

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