Universität zu Köln

Mück, Markus (2022). Contributions of the Event-Related Potential Technique to Narcissism Research Exemplified by Variations of Admiration and Rivalry with Face and Error Processing ERP Components. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

Highly narcissistic individuals perceive reality in favour of their grandiosity. Research has examined these distorted perceptions thoroughly at the self-report and behavioural level. However, we do know little about the underlying neural processes that lead to these distorted perceptions. The event-related potential (ERP) technique appears well-suited to uncover these processes and elucidate intrapersonal self-regulation in narcissism. Surprisingly, narcissism research has hardly applied this method. The current thesis describes two studies that relate Admiration and Rivalry (two narcissism dimensions; Back et al., 2013) to face- and error-processing ERP components and, thereby, illustrates the usefulness of the ERP technique for narcissism research. Study 1 analysed variations of Admiration and Rivalry with two face processing ERP components, P1 and N170, which were registered while participants (N = 59) viewed their own, a celebrity’s, and a stranger’s face. Multilevel models revealed variations of Admiration with the P1 and variations of Rivalry with the P1 and the N170. Study 2 explored variations of Admiration and Rivalry with two error processing ERP components, Ne and Pe, which were recorded while participants (N = 89) performed a speeded Go/noGo task under ego-threatening conditions. Multilevel models discovered variations of Rivalry with Ne but did not indicate variations of either Admiration or Rivalry with the Pe. Given the respective ERP literature, the results of both studies pointed to several intrapersonal self-regulation strategies that highly narcissistic individuals might use to protect and enhance their grandiosity, including attentional inhibition, an expectancy-driven perception, rapid mobilisation of defensive systems, and a trait-like defensive reactivity. Thereby, both studies demonstrated that ERP research can generate revealing and unique data on narcissistic functioning. In light of the current results and the global neuronal workspace theory, which provides further ideas on the neural mechanisms underlying narcissistic perception, the thesis discusses promising future neuro-cognitive research on narcissism, which might help us better understand this complex construct.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Mück, Markus markus.mueck@uni-koeln.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-546257
Date:	12 January 2022
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Human Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Human Sciences > Department Psychologie
Subjects:	Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language narcissism English event-related potentials English Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept English error processing English error-related negativity English error positivity English face processing English P1 English N170 English
Date of oral exam:	16 December 2021
Referee:	Name Academic Title Stahl, Jutta Prof. Dr. Vossel, Simone Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/54625