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Shades of narcissistic dishonesty: Grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism and the role of self-conscious emotions

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  • Schröder-Abé, Michela
  • Fatfouta, Ramzi

Abstract

Honesty is crucial to navigate the social realm, yet certain individuals – those high in narcissism – tend to engage in dishonesty. In two studies (total N = 910), we aimed to zoom in on the link between grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism and dishonesty, further clarifying the role of the key self-conscious emotions shame and guilt in mediating this link. Using behavioral indicators of dishonesty, namely, actual cheating in a math task (Study 1) and a coin-tossing task (Study 2), we consistently found that the relationship between grandiose narcissism and cheating was positively mediated by guilt, indicating that grandiose narcissists engaged in more dishonest behavior due to a lack of guilt. Furthermore, the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and cheating was negatively mediated by shame, but only when task success depended on performance (Study 1) rather than luck (Study 2). Results underscore the importance of differentiating between distinct facets of narcissism and highlight the role of self-conscious emotions in the narcissism-dishonesty link.

Suggested Citation

  • Schröder-Abé, Michela & Fatfouta, Ramzi, 2019. "Shades of narcissistic dishonesty: Grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism and the role of self-conscious emotions," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 148-158.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:71:y:2019:i:c:p:148-158
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2018.06.003
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    1. Gary S. Becker, 1974. "Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach," NBER Chapters, in: Essays in the Economics of Crime and Punishment, pages 1-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. Djawadi, Behnud Mir & Fahr, René, 2015. "“…and they are really lying”: Clean evidence on the pervasiveness of cheating in professional contexts from a field experiment," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 48-59.
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