Study Links Narcissism to Preference for Antisocial News Content

A recent study in the Journal of Research in Personality indicates that individuals with high levels of antagonistic narcissism are more inclined to seek out antisocial news stories, while showing less interest in those highlighting prosocial actions. This behavior seems to stem from lower empathy levels and a heightened need for stimulation, both traits typically associated with antagonistic narcissism. The results shed light on how people with narcissistic traits consume social information.

Narcissistic individuals often have an inflated self-image, a fixation on status, and disregard for others. Previous research mainly focused on their behavior in social situations—where they often take center stage. However, the social landscape also involves observing others, particularly through news media.

This study aimed to explore the preferences of narcissists regarding different types of social behavior—specifically, prosocial (helpful) versus antisocial (harmful) actions. Earlier findings suggested that narcissists generally respond more positively to antisocial behavior and view prosocial individuals unfavorably. What was less clear was whether this inclination started earlier in the information-processing journey, at the point of selecting what to focus on.

The researchers hypothesized that narcissists, especially those who exhibit antagonistic traits like arrogance, prefer antisocial content that resonates with their worldview. They applied person-environment fit theory, suggesting that people are attracted to environments and information that reflect their personal values and traits. Specifically, narcissists might find antisocial content aligns better with their outlook.

“My research is driven by how narcissistic individuals interact with the communal aspects of social life—like cooperation and morality,” said Jiafang Chen from the University of Amsterdam.

“This area has been less explored compared to the typical focus on power and social status. I think understanding the communal dimensions can provide new insights into how narcissists influence their social surroundings, especially because they often occupy leadership roles. A starting point is observing how they are drawn to various kinds of social information in their daily lives, which reflects and reinforces their behavior.”

The research comprised two primary studies and preliminary pilots to conceptualize the news headline task. The team developed and evaluated headlines categorized as antisocial, prosocial, or neutral. They ensured these headlines had different perceived social impacts but were equally engaging. This approach helped isolate how narcissistic traits influenced content selection without external factors like novelty interfering.

For example, antisocial headlines included “Supervisor sexually harasses multiple interns” and “Mother and daughter throw stones at sleeping animals in a zoo.” Prosocial examples were “Steep increase in blood donors” and “Passerby helps fallen blind person get up.” Neutral headlines consisted of factual observations, such as “First passengers try high-speed vacuum pods” or “250 million users active on Snapchat daily.”

In the initial study, 253 participants filled out a narcissism questionnaire and selected ten headlines from a pool of thirty, evenly distributed among the three categories. Results showed that participants with higher antagonistic narcissism were inclined to favor antisocial headlines while avoiding prosocial ones.

The second study confirmed these results with a different group of 294 participants. This time, researchers also assessed three underlying traits—social motives, empathy capacity, and sensation-seeking behavior—to understand why narcissists made those choices.

The findings indicated that narcissistic individuals exhibited lower empathy and higher tendencies for seeking intense, novel experiences. Both traits correlated with a stronger preference for antisocial content and a reduced interest in prosocial stories. Notably, low empathy and high sensation-seeking accounted for the link between narcissism and content preference.

Across both studies, a consistent pattern emerged showing that antagonistic narcissism is linked to a selective preference for antisocial social information. In the first study, the preference was evident: narcissistic individuals chose more antisocial than prosocial headlines. The second study highlighted that their disinterest in prosocial stories played a significant role.

The selection pattern wasn’t random. When researchers examined the factors influencing these choices, two critical psychological traits emerged. Narcissistic individuals scored lower in affective empathy—indicating a lack of compassion—which correlated with their aversion to prosocial stories and receptiveness to antisocial ones. Additionally, higher sensation-seeking scores predicted greater interest in narratives involving harm or social conflict.

Interestingly, social motives—whether participants leaned more toward self-interest or altruism—did not mediate the effect significantly. This suggests that simply being self-focused might not fully explain why narcissists are drawn to antisocial content. Instead, their emotional detachment and craving for stimulation appear more relevant.

A follow-up meta-analysis incorporating data from both studies reinforced that antagonistic narcissism consistently predicts a preference for antisocial over prosocial information.

“Our findings indicate that narcissistic individuals lean toward antisocial information like stories about others’ misconduct while showing less interest in acts of kindness,” Chen explained. “This preference reflects their low empathy and high sensation-seeking tendencies. It illustrates how narcissists select social information that mirrors their identity and reinforces their engagement with the social world.”

However, there are limitations to consider. While the studies mirrored real media consumption, they relied on self-reported data and correlational designs, complicating causal interpretations. For instance, it’s unclear if selecting antisocial content drives narcissists to act more antisocially or if such behaviors are consistent across contexts.

Another limitation is that the research focused solely on antagonistic narcissism, neglecting other forms like agentic or neurotic narcissism. While the authors briefly touched on these dimensions, antagonistic narcissism showed the strongest connection to antisocial preferences.

Future research might investigate whether repeatedly engaging with antisocial content reinforces narcissists’ tendencies or influences their behaviors over time. It could also explore if increasing exposure to prosocial stories nudges narcissistic individuals toward more cooperative or empathetic behavior. Some evidence suggests that such “communal activation” can temporarily soften narcissistic traits.

The researchers also recommend examining other psychological traits—like schadenfreude or envy—that may explain why some people find pleasure in others’ misfortunes and actively seek out related news.

The study, “You are what you read: Antagonistic narcissism predicts increased preference for antisocial and reduced preference for prosocial information,” was conducted by Jiafang Chen, Barbara Nevicka, Astrid C. Homan, and Gerben A. van Kleef.