Ep 24: The Communal Narcissist's Altruistic Illusion

In this episode of The Personality Couch Podcast, we (licensed clinical psychologists Doc Bok and Doc Fish) unpack the tricky topic of communal narcissism, exploring its characteristics, behaviors, and the environments in which these individuals thrive. We discuss the distinction between agentic and communal traits, the illusion of selflessness, and how communal narcissists often deceive themselves and others. We further highlight the presence of communal narcissism in charities, social media, and religious organizations. By examining the darker aspects of this personality type, we discuss insights about collective narcissism and the potential for harmful group dynamics. The episode concludes with insights on recognizing communal narcissism in relationships and its correlation with wealth and power.

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro & History of Communal Narcissism
• 03:40 What is Communal Narcissism?
• 05:39 Where Communal Narcissists Show Up
• 09:22 Social Media in Communal Narcissism
• 12:15 Communal Narcissism in Religious Settings
• 13:36 Cults and Collective Narcissism
• 18:31 Communal Narcissism in Politics
• 19:42 Recognizing the Signs of Communal Narcissism
• 23:17 Communal Narcissism in Relationships
• 26:37 Summary and Key Takeaways

Additional References

• Gebauer, J. E., Sedikides, C., Verplanken, B., & Maio, G. R. (2012). Communal narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(5), 854-878. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029629
• Giacomin, M., & Jordan, C. H. (2015). Validating power makes communal narcissists less communal. Self and Identity, 14(5), 583–601. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2015.1031820
• Fatfouta, R., & Schröder-Abé, M. (2018). A wolf in sheep’s clothing? Communal narcissism and positive implicit self-views in the communal domain. Journal of Research in Personality, 76, 17–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2018.07.004
• Kristinsdottir, K. H., Gylfason, H. F., & Sigurvinsdottir, R. (2021). Narcissism and social media: The role of communal narcissism. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10106. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910106
• Vaknin, S. (2002). Malignant self-love: Narcissism revisited. Narcissus Publications.