New Research Finds Why Narcissists Are More Likely To Believe In Conspiracy Theories
According to the Mayo Clinic, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, also known as NPD, “is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others.”
It is currently estimated that up to five percent of the population has NPD, but the exact cause of NPD has remained unknown.
However, experts believe that several contributing factors can lead to the development and progression of NPD– including childhood trauma, genetics, hypersensitivity to stimuli during childhood, and personality and temperament characteristics.
And interestingly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, tons of conspiracies surrounding vaccinations, politics, and social change began sprouting up all over social media.
Researchers over the past two years have found that people with NPD are more susceptible to falling victim to conspiracy theories and wholeheartedly believing them.
Recent research conducted by a trio of researchers from the University of Cambridge, the University of Kent, and the Polish Academy of Sciences has also built upon that discovery to ascertain precisely why.
And the researchers have argued that three specific traits of people with NPD– known as neuroticism, antagonism, and agent extraversion– are the culprit.
Neuroticism refers to the tendency to emotionally or irrationally overreact when presented with new information.
Past research has also linked neuroticism to relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, shame, and paranoia.
Gorodenkoff – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
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Antagonism, on the other hand, describes the aggression people with NPD show toward other people and other opinions. This aggression is typically thought to be used as a control tactic.
Finally, agent extraversion also describes aggressive or assertive actions but in a slightly different way.
Agent extraversion coincides more closely with self-confidence and the way people with NPD charm others.
The research team has suggested that paranoia about one’s life can lead to people with NPD being more receptive to conspiracy theories.
Furthermore, when people with NPD feel the need to maintain control over their lives– especially during times of great uncertainty– they may cling to outlandish claims.
And, once anyone tries to challenge these conspiracies, people with NPD fall back on antagonism– which often only increases their own beliefs. Interestingly, the researchers have also specifically outlined these findings as a threat to political stability.
“Narcissists tend to view themselves as qualified for politics and tend to contemplate running for office. Narcissism also seems to be higher among political leaders– especially those that are populist or autocratic,” the study began.
“Therefore, we can expect engagement with conspiracy theories among active politicians, particularly in times that challenge their power. This is concerning given the harmful societal consequences of conspiracy theories.”
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Science Direct, visit the link here.
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