Researchers have unearthed intriguing insights into how different types of narcissism influence an individual’s preference for solitude. The findings, published in the Journal of Personality, provide evidence that while some forms of narcissism lead to an aversion to solitude, others might encourage it.
Narcissism is characterized by a sense of entitlement, grandiosity, and a tendency to use others for personal gain. Earlier research pointed towards a mixed relationship between narcissism and social interactions, with some forms of narcissism drawing individuals towards others, and some driving them towards solitude. The researchers aimed to unravel this puzzle, particularly focusing on how different forms of narcissism influence one’s preference for being alone
“I have been very interested in trying to understand the connections that narcissistic personality features have with certain attitudes and behaviors,” said study author Virgil Zeigler-Hill, a distinguished professor of psychology at Oakland University.
“In recent years, I have focused on how narcissism impacts experiences in particular types of relationships (e.g., romantic relationships, friendships, relationships with co-workers). The present study allowed us to examine whether particular aspects of narcissism are associated with the extent to which individuals want to spend time by themselves.”
To investigate the relationships between various forms of narcissism and the preference for solitude, Virgil Zeigler-Hill and his colleagues conducted a series of three studies.
In the first study, 708 undergraduate students from the United States and Germany participated. Researchers used the Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory to measure different facets of narcissism: extraverted, antagonistic, and neurotic. They assessed participants’ perceived status attainment with the Social Relations Inventory and their preference for solitude using the Preference for Solitude Scale. This scale presented participants with forced-choice items, requiring them to choose between a preference for solitude or being with others.
The study found that individuals with high levels of extraverted narcissism, which involves seeking social attention and admiration, showed a lower preference for solitude. Interestingly, perceived status attainment did not significantly influence this relationship. The study did not find notable associations with antagonistic or neurotic narcissism in this regard.
The second study adopted a daily diary method, involving 757 undergraduate students from a U.S. university. Participants provided daily reports over several weeks. Narcissism was measured using the same inventory as Study 1. However, daily perceptions of status attainment and preferences for solitude were captured using modified versions of the previous measures, focusing on participants’ feelings and preferences on each specific day.
This study echoed the findings of Study 1, with extraverted narcissism negatively linked to daily solitude preference. Notably, on days when individuals with high extraverted narcissism felt respected and admired, their aversion to solitude was even stronger. The study also revealed a new finding: neurotic narcissism, characterized by insecurity and hypersensitivity, was positively associated with a daily preference for solitude.
In the third study, 741 participants, including students from the U.S. and community members from Germany, were involved. Employing the same measures for narcissism and status attainment as in Study 1, this study introduced a new element – the perceived instability of status. A modified version of the Social Relations Inventory measured how stable or unstable participants perceived their social status to be.
The findings showed that extraverted narcissism was negatively associated with a preference for solitude, especially when individuals perceived their status as stable. Conversely, antagonistic narcissism, known for hostile and defensive behavior, showed a positive association with solitude preference when status was perceived as stable.
A meta-analysis combining the results of all three studies provided further clarity. It confirmed that extraverted narcissism consistently correlated with a lower preference for solitude. In contrast, neurotic narcissism showed a positive correlation with solitude preference. However, antagonistic narcissism did not demonstrate a consistent relationship with solitude preference across the studies.
“The clearest pattern was that extraverted narcissism (which is characterized by enjoyment of social attention, assertiveness, and making positive initial impressions on others) was negatively associated with a preference for solitude,” Virgil Zeigler-Hill told PsyPost. “That is, individuals with high levels of extraverted narcissism reported an aversion to spending time by themselves. This suggests that the general tendency for extraverted narcissism to be connected with the motivation to approach potentially rewarding stimuli may also apply to interactions with others because these social encounters may provide opportunities for these individuals to engage in self-promotion and gain status.”
“In essence, individuals with elevated levels of extraverted narcissism may be motivated to seek social interactions, which provide them with opportunities to showcase their perceived superiority, receive compliments and validation from others, and therefore reinforce their self-esteem,” Virgil Zeigler-Hill said. “Individuals with high levels of extraverted narcissism were especially interested in spending time with other people when they felt appreciated by others and believed that their status was relatively secure.”
“Taken together, these results suggest that the desire for social engagement may be a natural extension of extraverted narcissism because these interactions serve as a platform for them to engage in self-promotion and bask in the admiration of others. In contrast, the connections that antagonistic narcissism (which is characterized by exploitative, hostile, and defensive behaviors) and neurotic narcissism (which is characterized by feelings of insecurity, psychological distress, and hypersensitivity) had with the preference for solitude were somewhat inconsistent across studies.”
The researchers also uncovered an interesting cultural variance in the relationship between antagonistic narcissism and the preference for solitude, pointing to the significant role that cultural context may play in shaping how individuals with narcissistic traits interact socially.
“We collected data from participants from Germany and the United States for two of our studies,” Virgil Zeigler-Hill explained. “We did not expect there to be any major differences between these participants, but in both studies we found the expected positive association between antagonistic narcissism and the preference for solitude for German participants but not for participants from the United States.”
“There are some cultural differences that impact the experience of solitude, but we did not anticipate that they would play a role in the connection that narcissism has with the preference for solitude. One possibility suggested by these unexpected results is that cultural understandings of solitude may play in shaping how individuals with elevated levels of antagonistic narcissism think about time spent alone (e.g., an opportunity to engage in solitary activities vs. a missed opportunity to gain the attention of others).”
Despite the studies’ strengths, there are some limitations. The focus was primarily on the general preference for solitude, without exploring the underlying motivations for seeking solitude. Also, the reliance on self-reported data limits the ability to establish causal relationships.
“One issue that should be addressed in future research are the reasons that people choose to spend time alone or with other people,” Virgil Zeigler-Hill said. “It is possible that individuals with narcissistic tendencies may differ from others in the motives underlying their behaviors. For example, someone with low levels of narcissism may want to spend time with friends because they enjoy their company, whereas someone with elevated levels of narcissism may want to spend time with friends in order to demonstrate their popularity.”
The study, “Does narcissus prefer to be alone? Narcissistic personality features and the preference for solitude“, was authored by Virgil Zeigler-Hill, Jennifer Vonk, and Ramzi Fatfouta.
