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Psychological topics, Vol. 31 No. 1, 2022.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.31820/pt.31.1.7

Situational and Trait Self-Handicapping among Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissists

Bojana Bodroža orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-4165-0678 ; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Novi Sad, Serbia
Jovana Mandarić ; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Novi Sad, Serbia
Miroslav Milosavljević ; University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Novi Sad, Serbia

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Abstract

Self-handicapping is an effective strategy for self-enhancement and self-protection in situations in which one’s self-image is evaluated. Previous studies have shown that grandiose narcissists use self-handicapping for self-enhancement, while research on vulnerable narcissists’ use of self-handicapping is still scarce. In this study, we examined trait, behavioural, and proclaimed self-handicapping among the two forms of narcissism. After questionnaire measures were collected, a total of 105 individuals participated in the experimental study, in which they were led to believe they would be doing a hard or an easy ability test. The results showed that grandiose narcissism was only related to trait self-handicapping in achievement situations, while vulnerable narcissism was related to self-handicapping in interpersonal and achievement situations. Experimental results showed that participants did not seize the opportunity for behavioural or proclaimed self-handicapping. Moreover, the use of these strategies was not related to vulnerable or grandiose narcissism. The results are here discussed in the context of self-image maintenance dynamics of individuals with different levels of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism as well as methodological aspects of the study, and the validity of the concept of self-handicapping.

Keywords

self-handicapping; grandiose narcissism; vulnerable narcissism; self-protection; self-enhancement

Hrčak ID:

275626

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/275626

Publication date:

27.4.2022.

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