This article is directly related to the peer reviewed and published study by Ann Krispenz and Alex Bertrams on March 20, 2023
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In a groundbreaking study recently unveiled in Current Psychology, researchers have uncovered a fascinating link between narcissistic individuals and those with psychopathic tendencies and their affinity for left-wing antihierarchical aggression. Antihierarchical aggression entails hostility aimed at challenging established power structures and authority figures. This study sheds light on the psychological motivations behind certain individuals' involvement in aggressive political activism.
While much research has concentrated on authoritarianism within right-wing political ideologies, there exists a significant gap in understanding authoritarianism among proponents of left-wing political ideologies. The researchers behind this study set out to bridge this knowledge gap.
Ann Krispenz, a postdoctoral associate, and Alex Bertrams, the head of the Educational Psychology Lab at the University of Bern, aimed to explore the psychological factors underpinning authoritarianism within left-wing ideologies. Their investigation centered on left-wing authoritarianism (LWA) using a measure recently developed by Costello and colleagues (2022). This measure conceptualizes LWA as a three-part construct comprising anticonventionalism, top-down censorship, and antihierarchical aggression.
Krispenz and Bertrams emphasize that authoritarianism exists on both sides of the political spectrum. On the political left, indicators of authoritarianism manifest as anticonventionalism, top-down censorship, and antihierarchical aggression. This means that individuals with LWA may vehemently endorse progressive moral values, advocate for the use of governmental and institutional authority to suppress offensive speech, and even resort to violence to overthrow established hierarchies.
In their first study, involving 391 participants with an average age of 46, the researchers assessed the relationship between narcissism and left-wing authoritarianism. They utilized the Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory to measure narcissism and the Self-Report Altruism Scale to gauge altruism. Surprisingly, they found no strong link between LWA and altruism. However, a robust connection emerged between antagonistic narcissism and the LWA subfacet of antihierarchical aggression.
This suggests that individuals who endorse aggressive actions to topple existing power structures are more likely to exhibit traits such as exploitation, lack of empathy, entitlement, arrogance, manipulation, reactive anger, distrust, and a penchant for thrill-seeking.
In the second study, which involved 377 participants with an average age of 46, the researchers delved deeper into the relationship between narcissism and LWA, focusing specifically on antihierarchical aggression. Initially, the results pointed to social justice commitment as the predictor of antihierarchical aggression, rather than narcissism. However, when controlling for other factors like psychopathy, age, gender, and virtue signaling, it was psychopathy, not narcissism, that emerged as the primary factor associated with antihierarchical aggression.
These findings underscore a significant insight: individuals with dark personality traits, including narcissism and psychopathy, are drawn to antagonistic ideologies and political activities. However, their motivation isn't necessarily rooted in a genuine desire for social justice and equality. Instead, they may exploit these ideologies and activities to satisfy their ego-centered needs. This phenomenon is termed the "dark-ego-vehicle principle."
The researchers clarify that the dark-ego-vehicle principle does not imply that all activism is narcissistic or psychopathic. It suggests that some forms of activism attract individuals with these traits who use activism as a vehicle to meet their self-centered needs, gain social status, dominate others, and engage in social conflicts and aggression for thrill-seeking purposes.
These findings hold significant implications for activist groups. The researchers suggest that minority groups should be cautious of narcissistic individuals within their movements, as these individuals may co-opt the cause for personal gain, causing harm to the movement's reputation and goals.
In conclusion, this research illuminates the complex relationship between dark personality traits, left-wing authoritarianism, and political activism. It emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of individuals' motivations within political movements and the importance of identifying and addressing narcissistic tendencies to maintain the integrity of activist causes.
While this study sheds valuable light on the subject, further research is needed to fully comprehend left-wing authoritarianism and the dark-ego-vehicle principle in different forms of activism. Understanding the boundary conditions and moderating influences in this context will provide a more comprehensive picture of these phenomena.
This article is directly related to the peer reviewed and published study by Ann Krispenz and Alex Bertrams on March 20, 2023
