Low Self-Esteem Predicts Out-group Derogation via Collective Narcissism, but this Relationship Is Obscured by In-group Satisfaction

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Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka; Federico, Christopher M.; Sedikides, Constantine; Guerra, Rita; Lantos, Dorottya; Mrozinski, Blazej; Cypryańska-Nezlek, Marzena and Baran, Tomasz. 2020. Low Self-Esteem Predicts Out-group Derogation via Collective Narcissism, but this Relationship Is Obscured by In-group Satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(3), pp. 741-764. ISSN 0022-3514 [Article]

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Official URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fp...

Abstract or Description

According to social identity theory, low self-esteem motivates group members to derogate out-groups, thus achieving positive in-group distinctiveness and boosting self-esteem. According to the Frankfurt School and status politics theorists, low self-esteem motivates collective narcissism (i.e., resentment for insufficient external recognition of the in-group’s importance), which predicts out-group derogation. Empirical support for these propositions has been weak. We revisit them addressing whether (1) low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, and (2) this indirect relationship is only observed after partialling out the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction (i.e., belief that the in-group is of high value and a reason to be proud). Results based on cross-sectional (Study 1, N = 427) and longitudinal (Study 2, N = 853) designs indicated that self-esteem is uniquely, negatively linked to collective narcissism and uniquely, positively linked to in-group satisfaction. Results based on cross-sectional (Study 3, N = 506; Study 4, N = 1059; Study 5, N = 471), longitudinal (Study 6, N = 410), and experimental (Study 7, N = 253) designs corroborated these inferences. Further, they revealed that the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction obscures the link between self-esteem and out-group derogation.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000260

Additional Information:

Work on this article was supported by National Science Centre grant 2017/26/A/HS6/00647 awarded to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Collection of data for Study 6 was supported by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw grant WP/2017/A/24 awarded to Marzena Cypryanska and Agnieszka Golec de Zavala.

© 2019, American Psychological Association. This article may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record. The final article is available, via its DOI: 10.1037/pspp0000260

Keywords:

self-esteem hypothesis, collective narcissism, in-group satisfaction, out-group derogation, symbolic aggression

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