Low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, but this relationship is obscured by in-group satisfaction

Agnieszka Golec de Zavala; Christopher M. Federico; Constantine Sedikides; Rita Guerra; Dorottya Lantos; Błazej Mroziński; Marzena Cypryańska; Tomasz Baran

doi:10.1037/pspp0000260

Low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, but this relationship is obscured by in-group satisfaction

Agnieszka Golec de Zavala, Christopher M. Federico, Constantine Sedikides, Rita Guerra, Dorottya Lantos, Błazej Mroziński, Marzena Cypryańska, Tomasz Baran

Political Science (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

78 Scopus citations

Abstract

According to social identity theory, low self-esteem motivates group members to derogate outgroups, thus achieving positive in-group distinctiveness and boosting self-esteem. According to the Frankfurt School and status politics theorists, low self-esteem motivates collective narcissism (i.e., resentment for insufficient external recognition of the in-group's importance), which predicts out-group derogation. Empirical support for these propositions has been weak. We revisit them addressing whether (a) low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism and (b) this indirect relationship is only observed after partialing out the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction (i.e., belief that the in-group is of high value and a reason to be proud). Results based on cross-sectional (Study 1, N = 427) and longitudinal (Study 2, N = 853) designs indicated that self-esteem is uniquely, negatively linked to collective narcissism and uniquely, positively linked to in-group satisfaction. Results based on cross-sectional (Study 3, N = 506; Study 4, N = 1,059; Study 5, N = 471), longitudinal (Study 6, N = 410), and experimental (Study 7, N = 253) designs corroborated these inferences. Further, they revealed that the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction obscures the link between selfesteem and out-group derogation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	741-764
Number of pages	24
Journal	Journal of personality and social psychology
Volume	119
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000260
State	Published - Sep 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Work on this article was supported by National Science Centre Grant 2017/26/A/HS6/00647 awarded to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Collection of data for Study 6 was supported by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities-Warsaw Grant WP/2017/A/24 awarded to Marzena Cypryánska and Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Data, codes for analyses, and a detailed description of procedures and measures can be found at https://osf.io/47qt5/. We thank Dr. Diniz Lopes for his valuable support with the statistical analyses conducted for Study 5.

Funding Information:
Work on this article was supported by National Science Centre Grant 2017/26/A/HS6/00647 awarded to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Collection of data for Study 6 was supported by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities—Warsaw Grant WP/2017/A/24 awarded to Marzena Cypryańska and Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Data, codes for analyses, and a detailed description of procedures and measures can be found at https://osf.io/47qt5/.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Psychological Association.

Keywords

Collective narcissism
In-group satisfaction
Out-group derogation
Self-esteem hypothesis
Symbolic aggression

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Low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, but this relationship is obscured by in-group satisfaction. / de Zavala, Agnieszka Golec; Federico, Christopher M.; Sedikides, Constantine et al.
In: Journal of personality and social psychology, Vol. 119, No. 3, 09.2020, p. 741-764.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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abstract = "According to social identity theory, low self-esteem motivates group members to derogate outgroups, thus achieving positive in-group distinctiveness and boosting self-esteem. According to the Frankfurt School and status politics theorists, low self-esteem motivates collective narcissism (i.e., resentment for insufficient external recognition of the in-group's importance), which predicts out-group derogation. Empirical support for these propositions has been weak. We revisit them addressing whether (a) low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism and (b) this indirect relationship is only observed after partialing out the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction (i.e., belief that the in-group is of high value and a reason to be proud). Results based on cross-sectional (Study 1, N = 427) and longitudinal (Study 2, N = 853) designs indicated that self-esteem is uniquely, negatively linked to collective narcissism and uniquely, positively linked to in-group satisfaction. Results based on cross-sectional (Study 3, N = 506; Study 4, N = 1,059; Study 5, N = 471), longitudinal (Study 6, N = 410), and experimental (Study 7, N = 253) designs corroborated these inferences. Further, they revealed that the positive overlap between collective narcissism and in-group satisfaction obscures the link between selfesteem and out-group derogation.",

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note = "Funding Information: Work on this article was supported by National Science Centre Grant 2017/26/A/HS6/00647 awarded to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Collection of data for Study 6 was supported by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities-Warsaw Grant WP/2017/A/24 awarded to Marzena Cypry{\'a}nska and Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Data, codes for analyses, and a detailed description of procedures and measures can be found at https://osf.io/47qt5/. We thank Dr. Diniz Lopes for his valuable support with the statistical analyses conducted for Study 5. Funding Information: Work on this article was supported by National Science Centre Grant 2017/26/A/HS6/00647 awarded to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Collection of data for Study 6 was supported by SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities—Warsaw Grant WP/2017/A/24 awarded to Marzena Cyprya{\'n}ska and Agnieszka Golec de Zavala. Data, codes for analyses, and a detailed description of procedures and measures can be found at https://osf.io/47qt5/. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 American Psychological Association.",

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Low self-esteem predicts out-group derogation via collective narcissism, but this relationship is obscured by in-group satisfaction

Abstract

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Keywords

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