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Psychophysiological characteristics of narcissism during active and passive coping
Author(s) -
Kelsey Robert M.,
Ornduff Sidney R.,
McCann Christina M.,
Reiff Sarah
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/1469-8986.3820292
Subject(s) - psychology , habituation , narcissism , coping (psychology) , psychopathy , stimulus (psychology) , developmental psychology , personality , clinical psychology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , social psychology
This study provides the first psychophysiological analysis of narcissism by measuring autonomic responses during active and passive anticipatory coping in 40 undergraduate men who scored high or low on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). Compared to the low NPI group, the high NPI group showed greater preejection period (PEP) shortening, cardiac deceleration, and skin conductance response (SCR) habituation during anticipation of an aversive stimulus ( p < .02). As expected, SCR and PEP reactivity were greater during active than passive coping. In the case of PEP, this effect emerged only in the low NPI group; the high NPI group showed the greatest PEP reactivity during the first task, regardless of coping demands. These data support hypothesized relationships among narcissism, psychopathy, and psychological predictors of cardiovascular disease, and suggest that a psychobiological dimension may underlie important features of narcissism.