Collective narcissism Collective narcissism (or group narcissism) is a type of narcissism where an ind ividual has an inflated self-love

of his or her own ingroup, where an ingroup is a group in which an individual is personally involved.[1] While the classic defin ition of narcissism focuses on the individual, collective narcissism asserts tha t one can have a similar excessively high opinion of a group, and that a group c an function as a narcissistic entity.[1] Collective narcissism is related to eth nocentrism; however, ethnocentrism primarily focuses on self-centeredness at an ethnic or cultural level, while collective narcissism is extended to any type of ingroup beyond just cultures and ethnicities.[1][2] Some theorists believe grou p-level narcissism to be an extension of individual narcissism, though others be lieve the two to be quite independent. Contents [hide] 1 Development of the concept 2 Characteristics 3 Collective vs. individual 4 The charismatic leader-follower relationship 5 Intergroup aggression 6 Ethnocentrism 7 In the world 8 See also 9 References 10 External links [edit] Development of the conceptFreud in his 1922 study Group Psychology and th e Analysis of the Ego, noted how 'every little canton looks down upon the others with contempt',[3] as an instance of what would later to be termed 'Freud's the ory of collective narcissism'.[4] Thereafter, Wilhelm Reich and Isaiah Berlin ex plored what the latter called 'the rise of modern national narcissism: the selfadoration of peoples';[5] while Group narcissism is described in a 1973 book entit led The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness by psychologist Erich Fromm.[6] Pierre Bourdieu in the nineties wrote of 'a sort of collective narcissism affect ing intellectual groups...inclining them to turn a complacent gaze on themselves ';[7] while the term collective narcissism was highlighted anew by researcher Agni eszka Golec de Zavala in 2009 in her study Collective Narcissism and its Social C onsequences.[1] Noting how 'people's desire to see their own groups as better than other groups can lead to intergroup bias', Henri Tajfel approached the same phenomena in the seventies and eighties, so as to create 'social identity theory, which argues th at people's motivation to obtain positive self-esteem from their group membershi ps is one driving-force behind in-group bias'[8] [edit] CharacteristicsCollective narcissism is characterized by the members of a group holding an inflated view of their ingroup.[1] It is important to note tha t collective narcissism can be exhibited by an individual on behalf of a group o r by a group as a whole.[1] Fundamentally, however, collective narcissism always has some tie to the individuals who make up a narcissistic group.[1] Collective ly narcissistic groups requirejust as an individual narcissist requiresexternal va lidation.[9] Organizations and groups who exhibit this behavior typically try to protect their identities through rewarding group-building behavior--positive re inforcement.[9] According to Golec de Zavala, collective is an alternative form of narcissism, not altogether connected to individual, where most characteristic s of individual narcissism apply, but are manipulated to include the word group wh ere self might be found. Golec de Zavala states some parallels between individual and collective narcissism:

Individual/Collective Narcissism Equivalencies[1] Individual Collective I wish people would recognize my authority I wish other people would recognize t he authority of my group I have natural talent for influencing people My group has all predispositions to influence others If I ruled the world it would be a much better place If my group ruled the world it would be a much better place I am an extraordinary person My group is extraordinary I like to be the center of attention I like when my group is the center of atten tion I will never be satisfied until I get what I deserve I will never be satisfied u ntil my group gets all that it deserves I insist upon getting the respect that is due to me I insist upon my group getti ng the respect that is due to it I want to amount to something in the eyes of the world I want my group to amount to something in the eyes of the world People never give me enough recognition for the things I've done Not many people seem to understand the full importance of my group [edit] Collective vs. individualThere are several connections, and intricate rel ationships between collective and individual narcissism, or between individual n arcissism stemming from group identities or activities. No single relationship b etween groups and individuals, however, is conclusive or universally applicable. In some cases, collective narcissism is an individuals idealization of the ingro up to which it belongs,[10] while in another the idealization of the group takes place at a more group-level, rather than an instillation within each individual member of the group.[1] In some cases, one might project the idealization of hi mself onto his group,[11] while in another case, the development of individual-n arcissism might stem from being associated with a prestigious, accomplished, or extraordinary group.[1][12] An example of the first case listed above is that of national identity. One migh t feel a great sense of love and respect for ones nation, flag, people, or govern mental systems as a result of a collectively narcissistic perspective.[10] It mu st be remembered that these feelings are not explicitly the result of collective narcissism, and that collective narcissism is not explicitly the cause of patri otism, or any other group-identifying expression. But glorification of ones group , such as a nation can be seen in some cases as a manifestation of collective na rcissism.[10] In the case where the idealization of self is projected onto ones group, group-l evel narcissism tends to be less binding than in other cases.[11] Typically in t his situation the individualalready individually narcissisticuses a group to enhan ce his own self-perceived quality, and by identifying positively with the group and actively building it up, the narcissist is enhancing simultaneously both his own self-worth, and his groups worth.[11] However, because the link tends to be weaker, individual narcissists seeking to raise themselves up through a group w ill typically dissociate themselves from a group they feel is damaging to their image, or that is not improving proportionally to the amount of support they are investing in the group.[11] Involvement in ones group has also been shown to be a factor in the level of coll ective narcissism exhibited by members of a group. Typically a more involved mem ber of a group is more likely to exhibit a higher opinion of the group.[13] This results from an increased affinity for the group as one becomes more involved, as well as a sense of investment or contribution to the success of the group.[13 ] Also, another perspective asserts that individual narcissism is related to col lective narcissism exhibited by individual group members.[2] Personal narcissist s, seeing their group as a defining extension of themselves, will defend their g

roup (collective narcissism) more avidly than a non-narcissist, to preserve thei r own perceived social standing along with their groups.[2] In this vein, a probl em is presented; for while an individual narcissist will be heroic in defending his or her ingroup during intergroup conflicts, he or she may be a larger burden on the ingroup in intragroup situations by demanding admiration, and exhibiting more selfish behavior on the intragroup levelindividual narcissism.[2] Conversely, another relationship between collective narcissism and the individua l can be established with individuals who have a low or damaged ego investing th eir image in the well-being of their group, which bears strong resemblance to th e ideal-hungry followers in the charismatic leader-follower relationship.[1][14] A s discussed, these ego-damaged group-investors seek solace in belonging to a gro up;[14] however, a charismatic, strong leader is not always requisite for someon e weak to feel strength by building up a narcissistic opinion of their own group .[11] [edit] The charismatic leader-follower relationshipAnother sub-concept encompass ed by collective narcissism is that of the Charismatic Leader-Follower Relationsh ip theorized by political psychologist Jerrold Post.[14] Post takes the view that collective narcissism is exhibited as a collection of individual narcissists, a nd discusses how this type of relationship emerges when a narcissistic charismat ic leader, appeals to narcissistic ideal-hungry followers.[14] An important characteristic of the leader follower-relationship are the manifest ations of narcissism by both the leader and follower of a group.[14] Within this relationship there are two categories of narcissists: the mirror-hungry narciss ist, and the ideal-hungry narcissistthe leader and the followers respectively.[14 ] The mirror-hungry personality typically seeks a continuous flow of admiration and respect from his followers. Conversely, the ideal-hungry narcissist takes co mfort in the charisma and confidence of his mirror-hungry leader. The relationsh ip is somewhat symbiotic; for while the followers provide the continuous admirat ion needed by the mirror-hunger leader, the leaders charisma provides the followe rs with the sense of security and purpose that their ideal-hungry narcissism see ks.[14] Fundamentally both the leader and the followers exhibit strong collectiv ely narcissistic sentimentsboth parties are seeking greater justification and rea son to love their group as much as possible.[1][14] Perhaps the most significant example of this phenomenon would be that of Nazi Ge rmany.[14] Adolf Hitlers charisma and polarizing speeches satisfied the German pe oples hunger for a strong leader.[14] Hitlers speeches were characterized by their emphasis on strength--referring to Germanyand weakness--referring to the Jewish peop le.[15] Some have even described Hitlers speeches as hypnotic--even to non-German s peakers,[14] and his rallies as watching hypnosis on large scale.[14] Hitlers chari sma convinced the German people to believe that they were not weak, and that by destroying the perceived weakness from among them (the Jews), they would be enha ncing their own strengthsatisfying their ideal-hungry desire for strength, and pl easing their mirror-hungry charismatic leader.[14] [edit] Intergroup aggressionCollective narcissism has been shown to be a factor in intergroup aggression and bias.[1] Primary components of collectively narciss istic intergroup relations involve aggression against, and perceived threat from , outgroups with which the narcissistic ingroup has frequent interaction.[1] Col lective narcissism helps to explain unreasonable manifestations of retaliation b etween groups. A narcissistic group is more sensitive to perceived criticism exh ibited by outgroups, and is therefore more likely to retaliate.[16] Collective n arcissism is also related to negativity between groups who share a history of di stressing experiences. This intergroup callousness is the result of an unforgivi ng narcissistic party.[1] For example, one might consider gang-violence and inte r-gang aggression highly collectively narcissistic. Gangs are typically ultra-se nsitive to perceived outward negativism.

It is common for narcissistic ingroups to have an unstable high group self-estee m.[1] Because of this instability, narcissistic groups are especially prone to p erceived negativity towards themselves. The members of a narcissistic ingroup ar e likely to assume threats or negativity towards their ingroup where threats or negativity were not necessarily implied or exhibited.[1] It is thought that this heightened sensitivity to negative feelings towards the ingroup is a result of underlying doubts about the greatness of the ingroup held by its members.[14] Th ese perceived threats result in a damaged collective self-esteem, which is assoc iated with increased intergroup aggression.[17] Similar to other elements of collective narcissism, intergroup aggression relate d to collective narcissism draws parallels with its individually narcissistic co unterparts. An individual narcissist might react aggressively in the presence of humiliation, irritation, or anything threatening to his self-image.[18] Likewis e, a collective narcissist, or a collectively narcissistic group might react agg ressively when the image of the group is in jeopardy, or when the group is colle ctively humiliated.[1] On this point, Zavala argues that collective narcissismand not individual narcissismis really responsible for intergroup aggression.[1] Thi s is to say that while the narcissism of an individual may govern the link betwe en narcissism and interpersonal aggression on the individual level, that analogo usly, collective narcissism solely governs the link between collective narcissis m and intergroup aggression at the group-level. A study conducted among 6-9 year-olds by Judith Griffiths indicated that ingroup s and outgroups among these children functioned relatively identical to other kn own collectively narcissistic groups in terms of intergroup aggression. The stud y noted that children generally had a significantly higher opinion of their ingr oup than of surrounding outgroups, and that such ingroups indirectly or directly exhibited aggression on surrounding outgroups.[19] [edit] EthnocentrismMain article: Ethnocentrism Collective narcissism and ethnocentrism are closely related; they can be positiv ely correlated and often shown to be coexistent, but they are independent in tha t either can exist without the presence of the other.[2] In a study conducted by PhD Boris Bizumic, some ethnocentrism was shown to be an expression of group-le vel narcissism.[2] It was noted, however, that not all manifestations of ethnoce ntrism are narcissistically based, and conversely, not all cases of group-level narcissism are by any means ethnocentric).[2] It is suggested that ethnocentrism, when pertaining to discrimination or aggress ion based on the self-love of ones group, or in other words, based on exclusion f rom ones self-perceived superior group is an expression of collective narcissism. [1] In this sense, it might be said the collective and group narcissism overlap with ethnocentrism depending on given definitions, and the breadth of their acce ptance. [edit] In the worldIn general, collective narcissism is most strongly manifested in groups that are self-relevant, like religions, nationality, or ethnicity.[11] As discussed earlier, phenomena such as national identity (nationality), and Naz i Germany (ethnicity and nationality), are manifestations of collective narcissi sm among groups that critically define the people who belong to them. In addition to this, collective narcissism that may already exist among a group is likely to be exacerbated during conflict and aggression.[1] And in terms of c ultural effects, cultures that place an emphasis on the individual are apparentl y more likely to see manifestations of perceived individual greatness projected onto social ingroups existing within that culture.[1] Also, and finally, narciss istic groups are not restricted to any one homogenous composition of collective or individually collective or individual narcissists.[2] A quote from Hitler alm

ost ideally sums the actual nature of collective narcissism as it is realistical ly manifested, and might be found reminiscent of almost every idea presented her e: My group is better and more important than other groups, but still is not wort hy of me.[2] [edit] See also Psychology portal Sociology portal Cabal Chauvanism Clique Cronyism Elitism Emotional contagion Gang Group conflict Group dynamics Group emotion Group-serving bias Groupthink Hubris and group pride Mobbing Narcissism of small differences Nepotism Old boy network Patriotism Peer pressure Social group Social identity approach [edit] References1.^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Golec de Zavala , A,Cichocka, A., Eidelson, R., & Jayawickreme, N. "Collective narcissism and it s social consequences" Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 97.6 (2009): 1074-1096. Psyc articles. EBSCO. Web. 26 Mar. 2011. 2.^ a b c d e f g h i Bizumic, Boris, and John Duckitt. "My Group Is Not Worthy o f Me: Narcissism and Ethnocentrism." Political Psychology 29.3 (2008): 437-453. P sychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. 3.^ Sigmund Freud, Civilization, Society and Religion (PFL 12) p. 131 4.^ P. U. Hohendahl, Prismatic Thought (1997) p. 56 5.^ E. B. Weaver, National Narcissism 2006, ISBN 978-0-8204-7989-7. p. 62 6.^ Fromm, Erich. The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, 1973. ISBN 978-0-03-0075 96-4 7.^ Pierre Bourdieu, The Rules of Art: Genesis and Structure of the Literary Fie ld (1996), ISBN 978-0-8047-2568-2 p. 385 8.^ E. R. Smith/D.M.Mackie, Social Psychology (2007) p. 205 and p. 491 9.^ a b Duchon, Dennis. "Organizational Narcissism and Virtuous Behavior." Journ al of Business and Ethics 85.3 (2009): 301. Web. 9 Apr 2011. 10.^ a b c Rocass, S., Klar, Y., & Liviatan, I. (2006). The paradox of group-bas ed guilt: Modes of national identification, conflict vehemence, and reactions to the in-groups moral violations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91 , 698711. 11.^ a b c d e f Gramzow, R. H., & Gaertner, L. (2005). Self-esteem and favoriti sm toward novel in-groups: The self as an evaluative base. Journal of Personalit y and Social Psychology, 88, 801815. 12.^ Warren, M., & Capponi, A. (1996). The role of culture in the development of narcissistic personality disorders in American, Japan and Denmark. Journal of A pplied Social Sciences, 20, 7782. 13.^ a b Bailis, Daniel. "Collective self-esteem and the onset of chronic condit ions and reduced activity in a longitudinal study of aging ." Social science & m edicine 66.8 (2008): 1817. Web. 9 Apr 2011. 14.^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Post, Jerrold. "Narcissism and the Charismatic Leader-Follower Relationship." Political Psychology 7.4 (1986) Web. 9 Apr 2011.

15.^ Bychowski, G. (1948). Dictators and Disciples, International Universities P ress, New York. 16.^ Bushman, B. J., & Baumeister, R. (1998). Threatened egotism, narcissism, se lf-esteem, and direct and displaced aggression: Does self-love or self-hate lead to violence?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 219229. 17.^ Aberson, C. L., Healy, M., & Romero, V. (2000). In-group bias and self-este em: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 4, 157173. 18.^ Baumeister, Roy F., Brad J. Bushman, and W. Keith Campbell. "Self-Esteem, N arcissism, and Aggression: Does Violence Result From Low Self-Esteem or From Thr eatened Egotism?." Current Directions in Psychological Science (Wiley-Blackwell) 9.1 (2000): 26-29. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. 19.^ Judith A. Griffiths, et al. "Group membership, group norms, empathy, and yo ung children's intentions to aggress." Aggressive Behavior 35.3 (2009): 244-258. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Web. 9 Apr. 2011. [edit] External linksVaknin S Collective Narcissism