Finkel, Eli J.; Campbell, Keith W.; Buffardi, Laura E.; Kumashiro, Madoka and Rusbult, Caryl. 2009. The metamorphosis of Narcissus: communal activation promotes relationship commitment among Narcissists. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(10), pp. 1271-1284. ISSN 0146-1672 [Article]

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Abstract or Description

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 × 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 × 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.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167209340904
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Dates:	Date Event October 2009 Published
Item ID:	5361
Date Deposited:	25 Mar 2011 08:43
Last Modified:	06 Jan 2020 15:28
Peer Reviewed:	Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/5361

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