Social media usage has skyrocketed in recent years, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allowing people to share updates, photos, and videos with friends, family, and strangers across the globe. However, some personality types may be more inclined to overshare on social media than others. In particular, those with narcissistic traits like attention and admiration may post more frequently and exhibit more self-promotional content. This article will explore the link between narcissism and social media usage.
What is narcissism?
Narcissism is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy. Narcissists often have grandiose fantasies about their own success, beauty, brilliance, and desirability. They may exploit or manipulate others to achieve their goals and struggle to see others’ perspectives.
There are two main types of narcissism:
Grandiose narcissism
Grandiose narcissists overtly display their sense of superiority and entitlement. They are often arrogant, dominant, and insensitive to others.
Vulnerable narcissism
Vulnerable narcissists are similarly entitled and self-focused but cover up their grandiosity with a facade of anxiety, insecurity, and sensitivity. They may appear defensive and insecure.
Do narcissists post more on social media?
Research suggests that narcissism is positively associated with social media usage and activities. Studies have shown that people who score higher on narcissism scales tend to have more social media accounts, spend more time on social media, and post self-promotional content more frequently.
More accounts and more time spent
In a study of nearly 500 Twitter users, participants who scored higher in narcissism had significantly more Twitter followers and tweets, even when accounting for factors like extraversion. Similarly, a study of Facebook users found that those higher in narcissism had more Facebook friends and spent more time on the site per day. These findings indicate narcissists seek out greater audiences for self-presentation and invest more effort cultivating their online personas.
More self-promotion
In addition to greater usage, the content of narcissists’ social media posts is also more self-focused. Studies analyzing Facebook statuses have found narcissism predicts more self-promotional and attention-seeking posts, like selfies, exercise check-ins, inspirational quotes, and boasts about achievements. Narcissists also use more first-person singular pronouns like “I” and “me” when posting. These self-centered status updates allow narcissists to showcase themselves and demand validation from others.
Why do narcissists post so much?
There are several explanations for why narcissism relates to more extensive social media engagement:
Seeking attention and admiration
Narcissists have an inherent craving for attention and admiration from others. Social media provides the perfect platform to get attention, by allowing them to broadcast their thoughts, appearances, and accomplishments to wide networks of friends and followers. Through more frequent posts and selfies, narcissists can fulfill their need for validation.
Self-promotion
Social media enables narcissists to selectively self-promote, editing their best qualities and achievements into their online persona. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram lack cues about real-life challenges, making it easier for narcissists to appear successful and perfect through their posts. This allows them to maintain their inflated self-image.
Superficial relationships
Narcissists struggle to form deep emotional bonds and have superficial relationships. Social media interactions involve brief exchanges of comments and likes that do not require sincere intimacy. The shallow online connections satisfy narcissists’ relationship needs while accommodating their inability to be vulnerable.
Reinforcing grandiosity
According to Freudian theory, narcissism stems from fixation on an early period of childhood grandiosity that was not outgrown. Social media usage can reinforce grandiose self-views, as narcissists display their most impressive qualities and receive positive feedback. The continual self-promotion and validation keeps narcissistic grandiosity alive.
Do social media make people more narcissistic?
The rise in narcissism among recent generations has led researchers to investigate how social media usage impacts personality development and attitudes. There are several ways increased time on social media may cultivate greater narcissism:
Echo chambers
Social media algorithms customize feeds to match users’ existing interests and opinions. This creates echo chambers that reinforce inflated self-views as users see only complimentary, validating information about themselves and their beliefs.
Quantifiable popularity
Features like friend counts, followers, retweets, and likes provide concrete metrics of popularity. Watching these quantifiable signs of approval grow can promote narcissists’ sense of importance and fuel their need for admiration.
Curating self-image
The ability to carefully craft how one is presented online promotes an exaggerated sense of self. Narcissists can selectively portray only their most attractive qualities and achievements to create impossibly perfect online personas.
Social comparison
Scrolling through peers’ posts can drive unhealthy social comparison, breeding jealousy, insecurity, and competitiveness. To prove their superiority, narcissists may increase their self-promotional content.
However, it is unclear whether social media use precedes narcissistic tendencies or simply provides a new outlet for existing narcissism to flourish. Likely, there are bidirectional effects between social media and narcissistic attitudes over time.
Signs of narcissism on social media
It’s not always easy to discern narcissistic social media behaviors from normal usage. Here are some red flags that may indicate someone has narcissistic traits based on their posts and profiles:
– Excessive selfies and self-focused posts
– Frequent posts about achievements, idealized relationships, luxury items, and travel designed to provoke envy
– Oversharing personal information and intimate details about their lives
– Posts and comments focused on boosting their image, not meaningful conversations
– Seeking compliments, validation, or praise in captions
– Overly curated and perfect profiles that seem fake or too good to be true
– Responding aggressively or defensively to criticism, blocking dissenters
– Contriving “glamorous” or “exclusive” online personas using false details
– Minimal interest in others’ posts; more concerned with having their posts liked
-Friending, following, or interacting with people purely to increase their own following
Should you unfollow narcissistic social media accounts?
If someone’s social media behavior becomes too self-focused or toxic, it may be better to unfollow or block them. Here are some pros and cons of unfollowing narcissistic accounts:
Pros
– Creates distance from the narcissist’s attention-seeking behaviors
– Stops their grandiose or problematic posts from appearing in your feed
– Limits their ability to monitor your activities and compare themselves
– Frees you from feeling pressured to like or comment on their posts
– Reduces anxiety, annoyance, or stress from their bragging or drama
Cons
– Can damage your relationship or create conflict if the narcissist notices
– You may miss out on some of their more positive life updates
– Could enable them to criticize you or play the victim if confronted
– Doesn’t address underlying narcissism; just stops you from seeing it
Setting boundaries with narcissists online
If you have narcissistic people in your social circles, setting clear boundaries can help manage the relationship and protect your own well-being. Consider these tips:
– Limit contact and availability; don’t feel pressured to like/comment.
– Keep personal details vague or hidden to reduce comparison ammo.
– Adjust privacy settings to control their access to your profile and posts.
– Don’t accept follows or friend requests from new narcissistic acquaintances.
– Politely decline to participate in boastful one-upmanship contests.
– Offer compassion but disengage from negligent or abusive behavior.
– Seek support from trusted friends; don’t isolate.
– Prioritize your needs and values; know your limits.
Conclusion
In summary, research suggests narcissism is linked to more extensive and self-focused social media use, likely stemming from narcissists’ need for attention and validation. While social media may also cultivate narcissism in some users, it often simply provides a convenient platform for existing narcissistic tendencies to be amplified. Recognizing the signs of narcissism online and taking steps to protect your wellbeing can help you manage narcissistic people in your social media circles.