Narcissism is associated with higher aggression in combat athletes, study finds

A new study published in the journal Deviant Behavior has found that narcissistic traits are positively associated with aggressive behaviors among licensed combat sports athletes. The researchers also tested whether demographic factors such as gender, age, sports experience, and athlete ranking influenced this link, but none of them significantly altered the relationship. The results suggest that narcissism plays a consistent role in shaping aggression among combat athletes, regardless of their background.

Narcissism refers to a pattern of thinking and behavior centered around a grandiose self-image, a strong desire for admiration, and a lack of empathy. People high in narcissism often view themselves as superior to others and believe they are entitled to special treatment. The concept originates from Greek mythology, where Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection.

In psychology, narcissism exists on a spectrum. It can manifest in relatively mild forms—such as excessive self-confidence—or, at more extreme levels, align with narcissistic personality disorder. The personality trait has been linked to tendencies such as manipulation, dominance, and sensitivity to criticism. These characteristics can influence social interactions, especially in competitive or high-stakes environments.

Previous research has shown that narcissism can lead to aggressive behavior, especially when a person’s ego is threatened. In sports, particularly combat sports like boxing and Muay Thai, competition is intense and self-presentation is often central to success. The combination of physical confrontation, status-seeking, and public visibility makes combat sports an ideal setting to study how narcissism and aggression may interact.

Lead author Nurettin Göksu Çini, an assistant professor of sports management at Kırıkkale University in Turkey, and co-author Mehmet Ceylan, a research assistant at the same institution, sought to investigate this relationship more closely. They also wanted to know whether the link was stronger or weaker depending on an athlete’s gender, age, experience level, or competitive ranking.

Free daily newsletter

“The idea for this study emerged from the notion that combat sports reflect not only physical abilities but also the psychological tendencies of athletes,” explained Çini. “Sports like boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai—which involve direct physical confrontation—create fertile ground to explore how narcissistic traits manifest in behavior.”

“Iconic figures such as Muhammad Ali with his legendary claim ‘I am the greatest,’ Mike Tyson’s self-declaration as ‘the baddest man on the planet,’ Floyd Mayweather’s emphasis on undefeated success, and Conor McGregor’s provocative remarks toward opponents were strong motivators behind this research. These athletes exemplify how narcissism can blend with competitive drive, sometimes resulting in aggressive expressions. Observing such patterns encouraged us to scientifically examine the link between narcissism and aggression in combat athletes.”

The researchers surveyed 239 licensed combat sports athletes in Turkey, including individuals from boxing (106), kickboxing (88), and Muay Thai (45). The participants included both men (167) and women (72), ranging from 14 years old to over 25. Athletes also varied in terms of education, socioeconomic status, and training intensity.

Participants completed two standardized self-report questionnaires: the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-13 (a measure of narcissism) and the Brief Aggression Questionnaire, which assesses anger, hostility, verbal aggression, and physical aggression. The researchers also collected demographic information and data about the athletes’ level of experience and competitive ranking.

To analyze the data, the researchers used a statistical tool called the PROCESS macro for SPSS, which allowed them to test whether narcissism predicted aggression and whether this relationship was moderated by other variables. They also conducted standard regression analysis to further assess the relationship between narcissism and aggression.

The main finding was that narcissism predicted aggression among combat athletes. Specifically, higher narcissism scores were associated with higher aggression scores across multiple dimensions, including anger and physical aggression.

“Our findings show that narcissistic personality traits significantly predict aggressive behaviors among combat athletes,” Çini told PsyPost. “This insight is especially relevant for coaches, sports clubs, and policymakers. When properly managed, narcissistic traits may enhance confidence and performance, but if left unchecked, they can foster harmful aggression. The study emphasizes the importance of fostering psychological awareness, emotional regulation, and ethical behavior in sports settings—particularly in high-intensity, physically confrontational disciplines.”

This relationship remained consistent across gender, age groups, athlete rankings (local, regional, national, international), and levels of sports experience. In other words, whether the athlete was male or female, young or old, a novice or experienced competitor, narcissism still predicted a greater tendency toward aggression. The authors also noted that narcissism alone explained about 13 percent of the variation in aggression scores.

Interestingly, while women in the sample reported higher average aggression scores than men, gender itself did not significantly influence the strength of the narcissism-aggression link. Similarly, athletes with more training or higher rankings did not show weaker or stronger associations between the two traits.

“While we anticipated a positive link between narcissism and aggression, it was surprising that this relationship was not moderated by gender, age, athletic level, or years of sports experience,” Çini explained. “Personality-behavior dynamics are often assumed to vary across these factors. However, our data suggest that narcissism exerts a consistent influence on aggression regardless of these demographic variables—highlighting the robustness of this personality trait in competitive contexts.”

But as with all research, there are some caveats to consider.

“One key limitation is that our sample included only licensed combat athletes from Turkey, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings to other cultural or sporting contexts,” Çini noted. “Additionally, the study’s cross-sectional design limits our ability to make causal inferences. Self-report measures were used for both narcissism and aggression, which, while reliable, could be complemented in future studies with observational or longitudinal data for a deeper understanding.”

“We aim to explore how personality traits like narcissism interact with other psychological factors—such as anxiety, self-esteem, or moral disengagement—in shaping behavior across different sports. Long term, we hope to design evidence-based intervention programs that support emotional development, ethical decision-making, and healthy competitiveness among athletes. We are also interested in comparative research between individual and team sports to better understand how sport type moderates psychological traits.”

The new study adds to the growing body of research on narcissistic tendencies and aggression. In this specific case, however, narcissism might provide an edge.

“One of the major contributions of this study is its reminder that psychological traits like narcissism are not inherently negative,” Çini said. “When acknowledged and properly directed, such traits can fuel motivation and resilience. However, without guidance, they may lead to harmful aggression. By integrating psychological training alongside physical development, we can better support athletes in becoming not only successful competitors but also emotionally intelligent individuals.”

The study, “The Dark Side of Combat Sports: Exploring Narcissism and Aggression,” was published online on June 10, 2025.