People with narcissistic traits have a clear preference for negative news over positive stories. This is according to research from the University of Amsterdam. Narcissists systematically opt for news articles about antisocial behavior than for stories about prosocial behavior.
The research was published in the journal Journal of Research in Personality. For their studies, the psychologists developed a special task in which participants had to choose from thirty different news heads. These heads varied from antisocial (for example: “Manager intimidates several trainees sexual”) to prosocial (“strong increase in blood donors”) and neutral (“residents of” hottest place on earth “show how they live”).
The researchers carefully ensured that all heads were equally interesting and exciting, so that differences in choice could only be attributed to personality characteristics. More than 250 American participants participated in two different studies.
Empathy and sensation sizes as an explanation
The researchers found two mechanisms that explain this behavior. Firstly, antagonistic narcissists have less empathy, making them less sensitive to stories about other people’s suffering. Secondly, they look for more sensation, which attracts them to exciting but negative stories about violence and conflict.
Possible interventions
The research also offers starting points for interventions. Previous studies showed that narcissistic people show more commitment in relationships when they are consciously exposed to images of helping behavior. This is what the researchers think that targeted exposure to prosocial content could temper the negative effects of narcissism.
