Sabotage as a product of Narcissistic Envy
Sabotage as a product of Narcissistic Envy: Burning With Envy? Dispositional and Situational Influences on Envy in Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism Sabotage as a product of Narcissistic Envy: Burning With Envy? Dispositional and Situational Influences on Envy in Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism
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Neufeld, D. C., & Johnson, E. A. (2016). Burning with envy? Dispositional and situational influences on envy in grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Journal of Personality, 84(5), 685-696.
Vulnerable narcissists in any given episode were more likely to feel envy in that episode due to an overall disposition towards envy in any situation
To test the model, 330 young adults completed dispositional measures of narcissism, entitlement, and envy; one week later, participants reported on deprivation and envy feelings toward a peer who outperformed others on an intelligence test for a cash prize (Study 1) or earned higher monetary payouts in a betting game (Study 2). In both studies, structural equation modeling broadly supported the proposed model. Vulnerable narcissism robustly predicted episodic envy via dispositional envy
Not often mentioned in envy literature, this research highlighted how behind envy is often entitlement that someone else should not have these things, but rather they should, often not stopping until their entitlement has been fulfilled, even to the point of causing their own collapse economically as the research will describe.
Entitlementāa narcissistic facet common to grandiosity and vulnerabilityāwas a significant indirect predictor via relative deprivation.
Leadership/authority temporarily curbed feelings of envy, and envy caused schadenfreude feelings, and envy also caused the envious to actively start trying to sabotage their rival to cause more situations that evoked schadenfreude
Study 2 also found that (a) the grandiose leadership/authority facet indirectly curbed envy feelings via dispositional envy, and (b) episodic envy contributed to schadenfreude feelings, which promoted efforts to sabotage a successful rival.
Vulnerable narcissists are the most envy prone compared to grandiose narcissists.
Whereas vulnerable narcissists appear dispositionally envy-prone, grandiose narcissists may be dispositionally protected. Both, however, are susceptible to envy through entitlement when relative deprivation is encountered.
Envy is painful to the envious and they feel inferior, hostile, and resent the person due to having something they want for themselves and not for the other person.
R. Smith and Kim (2007) define envy as āan unpleasant, often painful emotion characterized by feelings of inferiority, hostility, and resentment produced by an awareness of another person or group of persons who enjoy a desired possession (object, social position, attribute, or quality of being)ā (p. 47).
Narcissists have no in-between and view people in black and white as either inferior or superior. There is no even ground for narcissists.
The inclusion of inferiority feelings as central to the experience of envy suggests that narcissists paradoxically feel both smugly superior and painfully inferior to others.
Vulnerable narcissists suffered more psychologically than grandoise narcissists, but grandoise narcissists showed an increase in ill will as their envy increased, and that ill will was behind sabotaging actions.
In addition, vulnerable narcissism was positively and significantly correlated with 4 of 5 cognitive components of episodic envy (inferiority feelings, depressive feelings, subjective injustice beliefs, and hostile feelings) when recalling a past example of envy, whereas grandiose narcissism was only associated with increased ill will.
Vulnerable narcissists had an increased likelihood of envy feelings and intensified schadenfreude
Finally, they found that elevated levels of vulnerable, but not grandiose, narcissism increased the likelihood of envy feelings and intensified subsequent schadenfreude
Grandiose narcissists when in intense envy will have over the top reactions to things that do NOT call for it when they revolve around or are a direct result of some interaction with the object of intense envy
Alternatively, grandiose narcissists may be affected by intense envy that is defended against or beyond conscious awareness, as suggested by their exaggerated affective and behavioral reactivity to criticisms and defeats (Kernberg, 1984, 2007; Ronningstam, 2005) or aggression following ego threat (Bushman & Baumeister, 1998)
Vulnerable narcissists are just that, vulnerable, and are very often prone to easily collapsing into feelings of inferiority as opposed to the grandiose narcissist. Grandiose narcissists are protected by feelings of agency or extroversion
Vulnerable narcissists appear to have no such protection against envy. They are prone to feeling inferior (Ronningstam, 2009) and hostile (Miller, Gentile, Wilson, & Campbell, 2013; Miller, Price, Gentile, Lynam, & Campbell, 2012), both of which are central components of envy. Vulnerable narcissists may be susceptible to envy partly because their self-concept is not bolstered by high levels of agency or extraversion, but rather is undermined by high levels of neuroticism (Miller et al., 2011; Miller et al., 2012).
Leadership and authority as an adaption was viewed as functional, while grandiose exhibitionism was viewed as a maladaptive/dysfunctional response. Both were responses found in narcissists.
As described later, we separated out relatively adaptive (leadership and authority) and maladaptive (grandiose exhibitionism) aspects of narcissistic grandiosity to further illuminate these relations (Ackerman et al., 2011), while also examining the role of entitlementāa feature of both narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerabilityāin promoting envy reactions.
This research is unique in showing how behind envy is entitlement to the thing another has, an entitlement that usually completed uncalled for
The inclusion of entitlement alongside other narcissistic facets acknowledges its relations to both narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability while permitting a detailed examination of the unique influences of narcissistic vulnerability, grandiosity, and entitlement on envy.
Entitlement and feeling envy in almost any scenario (dispositional) led to increased feelings of being deprived of what is oneās right
Both entitlement and dispositional envy are proposed to accentuate perceptions of relative deprivation and, in turn, manifestations of envy. Below we elaborate on the influences on envy expression of entitlement, dispositional envy, and relative deprivation.
Chronically envious people were more likely to experience hostility and ill will towards advantaged others
As Krizan and Johar (2012) note, āentitled expectations promote a sense of experiencing inferior outcomes, which likely adds to the bitterness and hostility entitled individuals feel towards othersā (p. 1446).
Chronically envious individuals may be especially likely to view such comparisons as revealing suspected inferiority, perceive their deprivation as unjust, and experience hostility and ill will toward advantaged others (R. Smith, Parrott, Diener, Hoyle, & Kim, 1999).
Feeling deprived happens when the envious can imagine a more desirable outcome but that it seems unlikely and not in a justified way to the person who feels deprived.
Relative deprivation is a painful emotional state where one wants and feels deserving of a desired object but fails to possess it (Crosby, 1982). According to referent cognitions theory (Folger, 1986), relative deprivation is most likely to occur in situations where an alternative desirable outcome can easily be imagined, future success or amelioration is unlikely, and oneās lack is poorly justified.
In order to get an unfair advantage over the person they envied, the envious were seen actively in states of ill will.
. This procedure was designed to foster ill will toward the confederate as trying to get an unfair advantage.
Envious people reported āstrong annoyanceā and dislike (āI just donāt like him/herā āI donāt like themā) when evaluated on a seven point scale.
Prior to debriefing, questions gauging participantsā perceptions of the study suggested the procedure was convincing; few participants reported suspiciousness, and most verbally reported strong annoyance and dislike for the confederate and endorsed mild to moderate envy (average item M 5 2.62, with an observed range from 1 to 5.2 on a 7-point scale).
Vulnerability and entitlement facitilitated envy reactions
Vulnerable narcissism and entitlement facilitated envious reactions indirectly via trait enviousness, whereas entitlement uniquely exerted an indirect effect on episodic envy via relative deprivation.
Even though leadership and authority are considered healthy responses to this, behind the scenes when not actively in these roles those individuals may still be just as envious as they were previously
In contrast, the āhealthyā aspects of narcissistic grandiosity involving leadership and authority did not meaningfully contribute to or protect against envy feelings.
Disturbingly, envious individuals were willing to sacrifice considerably to harm advantaged others, even destroying what they couldnāt have so nobody else could enjoy it and expending considerable time and energy ruining it for anyone else if they could no longer have it.
Psychodynamic conceptualizations have long stressed that envious individuals are not only willing to harm advantaged others, but also may accept considerable personal sacrifice to do so, even preferring the destruction of a desired object over witnessing another enjoy it (e.g., Klein, 1957/1975).
The design of the research measured to what extent an individual would take on extreme and bizarre financial costs just to achieve feelings of schadenfreude in response to the sabotaged rivalās downfall
Accordingly, we assessed whether participants would engage in actions aimed at sabotaging an advantaged player despite incurring financial cost to do so, as well as feelings of schadenfreude in response to the sabotaged rivalās downfall. We also enhanced our measurement of narcissism by incorporating the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI; Pincus et al., 2009).
These individuals were actually spending large chunks of their own money just to cause the otherās money to be āburnedā on useless or dead end features
Our second study utilized a paradigm developed by Zizzo and Oswald (2001) wherein individuals could choose to sabotage an advantaged rival by spending oneās monetary earnings to āburnā a portion of the opponentās earnings.
When faced with the most successful rivals, on average most of the participants endorsed mild feelings of deprivation and envy
participants always had less earnings than at least one opposite-room opponent (often both) and completed a questionnaire assessing relative deprivation and envy feelings toward their most successful rival. On average, participants endorsed mild feelings of deprivation (average item M 5 2.77, observed range 5 1ā6.83) and envy (average item M 5 2.08, observed range 5 1ā4.67; both on a 7-point scale)
They were willing to take very costly actions to fund scenarios and situations that caused their rivals to spend in ways that led to nothing, aka āburningā their money. They literally were willing to spend their money to cause the otherās money to be burned. Very disturbing and leads to asking who is letting this happen financially as this would most certainly be considered irredeemably irresponsible when the full picture was put together.
To prevent participants from burning their opponents because they anticipated having their earnings burned by other players, participants were told that their advantaged opposite room opponents would not be allowed to participate in the elimination round. . In actuality, 65% of participants chose to spend a portion of their earnings to burn othersā earnings, suggesting the study procedures were successful in motivating hostile, costly actions in most participants.
Participants were willing to spend 16% of the amount they wanted their rival to burn just to watch them burn it. Considering the grassroots donation rate is 1-2% of all individuals canvassed (meaning 98% of all individuals canvassed were willing to spend 0% of their money to be constructive) that is a ridiculously and disturbingly high percentage.
On average, participants spent nearly $0.65 (approximately 16% of their earnings; range 5 0ā100%) in order to burn $3.87 of their opponentsā earnings, and 65% of participants chose to burn at least one opponent. portion of their earnings to burn opponentsā earnings was positively correlated with deprivation feelings (r 5 .16, p < .05). A
The amount they were willing to burn was correlated with entitlement, deprivation, and schadenfreude
that burning amount was positively correlated with entitlement (r 5 .24, p < .01), deprivation feelings (r 5 .21, p < .05), and schadenfreude (r 5 .19, p < .05).
These envious people felt actual gratification at their rivals downfall just for having more of a trait, talent or feature than they did and for no other reason. They actually showed real feelings of pleasure in the schadenfreude originating in the relief from the feelings of inferiority and hostility that plagued them. By hurting the person, they experienced temporary and clearly very strong relief from the feelings of inferiority that caused the twisted and disturbing smiles of schadenfreude.
Based on work by R. Smith, Powell, Combs, and Schurtz (2009) and Krizan and Johar (2012) portraying pleasurable feelings of schadenfreude as a natural consequence of felt envy, we hypothesized that participants might have engaged in opportunistic burning in order to experience gratification caused by an envied rivals downfall. While schadenfreude was assessed after burning decisions were made, presumably students may have taken, or anticipated, satisfaction in the opportunity to burn advantaged othersā earnings while debating what amount to spend.
Episodic envy and relative deprivation predicted greater burning via schadenfreude
whereas relative deprivation and episodic envy indirectly predicted greater burning via schadenfreude. The model demonstrated good overall fit, v2 /df 5 1.29, CFI 5 .979, RMSEA 5 .038 (.024ā.050 with 90% confidence), SRMR 5 .066, and explained 22% of burning variance.
The relatively adaptive leadership and authority facet of grandiose narcissism curbed envy feelings via this trait route in Study 2.
In the former case, vulnerable narcissism entailed unique and marked susceptibility to dispositional envy feelings, which, in turn, promoted stronger feelings of envy toward an advantaged rival in both studies. Conversely, the relatively adaptive leadership and authority facet of grandiose narcissism curbed envy feelings via this trait route in Study 2.
Vulnerable narcissism caused more frequent and intense experiences of envy
These qualities may predispose individuals to more frequent and intense experiences of envy, whereas the adaptive qualities of grandiose narcissism may offer some degree of protection against this emotion. Although entitlement also fostered elevated envy reactions via this dispositional path, the inability to replicate this path suggests that it may be less robust.
Seeing something in someone else and immediately experiencing as a deprivation for the person instead of an admiration for the other came from harboring entitled attitudes and chronic feelings of envy.
This tendency to perceive the lack of a desired object or attribute as an experience of deprivation appeared to be strengthened by two distinct mechanisms: harboring entitled attitudes and chronic feelings of envy.
Entitlement is behind much of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability, specifically narcissistic entitlement is entitlement without any right (justification) for being that entitled
As entitlement is related to both narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability (Russ et al., 2008), this suggests that the frustration of narcissistic entitlements may be a common, cross-cutting narcissistic route to envy.
More envy means more feelings of schadenfreude, meaning this can actually start to become an addiction circuit as the envious struggles again and again for relief from the inferiority through schadenfreude
Experiences of heightened envy, in turn, appeared to set the stage for feelings of schadenfreude, consistent with past research (cf. R. Smith et al., 2009).
Schadenfreude was seen to be an attempt by the envious to self-regulate while experiencing increasingly intense and visceral feelings of envy
Schadenfreude reactions were linked to both narcissistic vulnerability and entitlement, suggesting it is a characteristic (and opportunistic) way in which individuals with these traits may attempt to self regulate after envy feelings are activated.
The fact that such sabotage was also costly to them further underscores its personal significance to their emotional economy. Sometimes bizarre amounts were spent that would probably be disturbing and unacceptable to the original funders.
. This malicious sense of pleasure was also an important correlate of the extent to which participants aggressed against an advantaged opponent. The fact that such sabotage was also costly to them further underscores its personal significance to their emotional economy.
Entitlement without justification that needed correction also without justification was behind a lot of the schadenfreude behind trying to incite the envied rivalās failure
Note that this finding emerged from a key difference between the present study and most studies assessing envy and schadenfreude concerning the cause of the envied rivalās failure.
Entitled expectations regarding what one ought to have obtained may promote heightened feelings of relative deprivation and envy toward advantaged others when such outcomes are not forthcoming
Using two distinct paradigms designed to induce envy, we conclude that narcissistic vulnerability is closely linked to envy. However, entitled expectations regarding what one ought to have obtained may promote heightened feelings of relative deprivation and envy toward advantaged others when such outcomes are not forthcoming