Eliminating threat or venting rage? The relationship between narcissism and aggression in violent offenders

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2021.00244

Abstract

Abstract:

Two studies were conducted to explore the relationship and mechanism between narcissism and aggressive behavior of violent offenders. In study 1, a positive correlation was found between narcissism and aggression by questionnaire (N = 498), trait anger was found to mediate between narcissism and premeditated and impulsive aggression, while psychological entitlement was found to only mediate between narcissism and premeditated aggression. Study 2 conducted behavioral experiments on 90 violent offenders. The results showed that perceived threat and negative emotions played a mediating role between narcissism and aggression, and provoca-tion moderated the mediating role. Grandiose narcissists only showed stronger aggression under provocation, whereas vulnerable narcissists showed stronger aggression under provocation and non-provocation. The study clarifies the relationship between narcis-sism and aggression under different subtypes, highlights the “dark side” of vulnerable narcissism, and provides a reference for the management and prevention of criminals.

Key words: narcissism, threatened egotism, negative affect, aggressive, violent offender

LIU Yuping, LI Shanshan, HE Yun, WANG Doudou, YANG Bo. (2021). Eliminating threat or venting rage? The relationship between narcissism and aggression in violent offenders. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 53(3), 244-258.

Figures/Tables 11

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Variable	M	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Vulnerable narcissism	27.40	5.83	—
2. Grandiose narcissism	3.18	2.40	0.24**	—
3. Trait anger	20.13	5.35	0.39**	0.30**	—
4 Psychological entitlement	30.62	9.54	0.24**	0.24**	0.31**	—
5. Impulsive aggression	15.91	4.87	0.38**	0.19**	0.62**	0.27**	—
6. Premeditated aggression	22.09	7.71	0.42**	0.31**	0.60**	0.35**	0.72**	—

Variable	M	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Vulnerable narcissism	27.40	5.83	—
2. Grandiose narcissism	3.18	2.40	0.24**	—
3. Trait anger	20.13	5.35	0.39**	0.30**	—
4 Psychological entitlement	30.62	9.54	0.24**	0.24**	0.31**	—
5. Impulsive aggression	15.91	4.87	0.38**	0.19**	0.62**	0.27**	—
6. Premeditated aggression	22.09	7.71	0.42**	0.31**	0.60**	0.35**	0.72**	—

Model	c²	df	c²/df	RMSEA	SRMR	CFI	GFI	IFI	NFI	TLI
M1	223.24	105	2.13	0.05	0.05	0.97	0.95	0.97	0.94	0.96
M2	226.64	107	2.12	0.05	0.05	0.97	0.95	0.97	0.94	0.96

Model	c²	df	c²/df	RMSEA	SRMR	CFI	GFI	IFI	NFI	TLI
M1	223.24	105	2.13	0.05	0.05	0.97	0.95	0.97	0.94	0.96
M2	226.64	107	2.12	0.05	0.05	0.97	0.95	0.97	0.94	0.96

Number	Path	Standardized effect	SD	95% CI
Mediating Effect 1	Vulnerable narcissism → trait anger → impulsive aggression	0.30	0.05	[0.195, 0.400]
Mediating Effect 2	Vulnerable narcissism → trait anger → premeditated aggression	0.24	0.05	[0.151, 0.335]
Mediating Effect 3	Vulnerable narcissism → psychological entitlement → impulsive aggression	0.02	0.02	[-0.013, 0.052]
Mediating Effect 4	Vulnerable narcissism → psychological entitlement → premeditated aggression	0.04	0.02	[0.006, 0.075]
Mediating Effect 5	Grandiose narcissism → trait anger → impulsive aggression	0.18	0.06	[0.077, 0.302]
Mediating Effect 6	Grandiose narcissism → trait anger → premeditated aggression	0.15	0.04	[0.065, 0.232]
Mediating Effect 7	Grandiose narcissism → psychological entitlement → impulsive aggression	0.02	0.02	[-0.010, 0.048]
Mediating Effect 8	Grandiose narcissism → psychological entitlement → premeditated aggression	0.03	0.02	[0.006, 0.062]
Direct Effect 1	Vulnerable narcissism → impulsive aggression	0.18	0.08	[0.035, 0.327]
Direct Effect 2	Vulnerable narcissism → premeditated aggression	0.22	0.07	[0.091, 0.349]
Direct Effect 3	Grandiose narcissism → impulsive aggression	-0.08	0.07	[-0.227, 0.063]
Direct Effect 4	Grandiose narcissism → premeditated aggression	0.06	0.07	[-0.070, 0.196]