Collective narcissism among advantaged and disadvantaged groups and reactionary vs. progressive social change
Tools
Tools
Keenan, Oliver. 2024. Collective narcissism among advantaged and disadvantaged groups and reactionary vs. progressive social change. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis]
|
Text (Collective narcissism among advantaged and disadvantaged groups and reactionary vs. progressive social change)
PSY_thesis_KeenanO_2024.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract or Description
Acts of right-wing reactionary extremism against members of disadvantaged societal groups now pose the biggest terrorist threats in Western democracies (2021 Hate Crime Statistics). Societal polarization has also deepened, as disadvantaged groups seek pro-equality progressive social change while facing backlash from the public and the state (Thomas & Osborne, 2022). Across seven cross-sectional studies (N = 5,489, four nationally representative samples) in different national and intergroup contexts among advantaged (US Whites and Polish men) and disadvantaged (US Blacks and Latinx, Polish women) groups, this thesis tested the role of collective narcissism at national and subordinate (i.e., racial and gender subgroup memberships) levels of identification in predicting support for reactionary and progressive social change. The thesis established that subordinate-level collective narcissism is the same variable across groups (us multiple group confirmatory factor analysis, Studies 1, 3, & 5), and similarly predicts perceived ingroup deprivation and violent collective action intentions similarly among U.S. Whites and racial minorities, and Polish men and women (Studies 1, 2, 3, 5 & 5b). The pattern of findings showed that national collective narcissism among both advantaged (Whites and men) and disadvantaged groups (racial minorities and women), alongside White and male collective narcissism made converging predictions with support for reactionary social change. Reactionary social change was expressed as ideological support for legitimization of inequality (Studies 1 & 5) and anti-egalitarianism (Studies 1, 3 & 5), and collective action outcomes: support for state repression of progressive movements (Black Lives Matter and Women’s Strike, Studies 2 & 6) and support for the alt-right (Study 4). In some cases, national collective narcissism showed stronger associations with reactionary social change among disadvantaged groups. Conversely, Black, Latinx and female collective narcissism predicted support for progressive social change (and rejected reactionary social change), expressed as endorsing delegitimization of inequality and egalitarianism, and collective action outcomes: participation in, and support for, Black Lives Matter (Studies 2 & 4), and support for Keep Families Together (Study 4) and participation in Women’s Strike (Study 6)
The findings indicate that national collective narcissism among advantaged and disadvantaged groups, and subordinate-level collective narcissism among advantaged groups accounts for the social identity basis of support for deepening societal inequality. Whereas, subordinate-level collective narcissism among disadvantaged groups accounts for the social identity basis of challenging inequality. Subordinate-level collective narcissism also predicts political radicalisation among both advantaged and disadvantaged groups.
|
Item Type: |
Thesis (Doctoral) |
| Identification Number (DOI): |
|
| Keywords: |
Collective narcissism, Social Identity Theory, reactionary social change, progressive social change, collective action, right-wing extremism |
| Departments, Centres and Research Units: |
|
| Date: |
30 June 2024 |
| Item ID: |
37246 |
| Date Deposited: |
08 Jul 2024 16:05 |
| Last Modified: |
08 Jul 2024 16:06 |
|
URI: |
View statistics for this item...
 |
Edit Record (login required) |