The (not so) vicious cycle of national narcissism

Emotional antecedents and outcomes

Bibliographic Data

ID11065833
AuthorsMaria Muzik (0000-0002-8429-3212, Masaryk University, corresponding author), Michal Mužík, Anna Knorr (0000-0002-5344-9886, Jagiellonian University), Malgorzata Kossowska (0000-0001-5509-4196, Jagiellonian University)
Year2026
Volume122
Pages104721
Publication date2026-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Research in Personality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0092-6566 • E-ISSN: 1095-7251
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jrp.2026.104721
OpenAlexW7138953739
LanguageEN
References cited38

National narcissism—an emotionally invested belief in a nation’s unrecognized greatness—has been linked to negative emotionality, such as stress and depressive symptoms, yet the directionality of this relationship remains unclear. Using a two-wave cross-lagged panel model on Czech young adults (N = 688), we test whether national narcissism and negative emotionality form a vicious cycle or whether their association is asymmetric. We also examine whether these associations vary by age cohort or socioeconomic status. Results reveal that national narcissism predicts only higher stress, whereas neither stress nor depressive symptoms predicts subsequent national narcissism. This pattern was consistent across demographic groups. These findings challenge existing cross-sectional interpretations and suggest that reducing unpleasant emotional states alone is unlikely to weaken national narcissistic beliefs

Association (psychology) · Big Five personality traits · Depressive symptoms · Emotional distress · Narcissism · Socioeconomic status · Stress (linguistics) · Test (biology) · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology · Personality Traits and Psychology

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