The Dark Reflection of Sadism within the Brilliance of the Narcissistic Persona
The Dark Reflection of Sadism within the Brilliance of the Narcissistic Persona作者机构:City University London UK New School for Social Research New York USA
出 版 物:《Health》 (健康(英文))
年 卷 期:2020年第12卷第9期
页 面:1279-1298页
学科分类:1002[医学-临床医学] 100214[医学-肿瘤学] 10[医学]
主 题:Narcissism Sadism Masochism Obsessive Symptoms Histrionic Symptoms Paranoia Symptoms Personality Disorders Thematic Apperception Test Narcissistic Personality Inventory Anaclitic Depression Introspective Depression Empathy Dominance
摘 要:This double blind randomized clinical trial with 84 participants, revealed that mental patients diagnosed with narcissism, and narcissistic celebrities mirror each other’s paranoid, obsessive and histrionic symptomatology, grandiosity, manipulative charm, and inner emptiness. Elite narcissists manifested insidious sadism in the absence of depressive affect, while the narcissistic patients were differentiated by their depressive and masochistic symptomatology. Elite narcissists demonstrated advanced empathic skills, contradicting past literature. However, their empathic advantage appeared void of compassion, merely employed as a self-serving tactic to exploit, intimidate and subordinate. Both experimental narcissistic groups evidenced more prevalent psychopathology, yet, higher achievement, efficacy and ambition than their reciprocal control groups, confirming the narcissists’ finesse in concealing psychopathology under the brilliance of their pseudosuperiority. The main danger is the affinity between masochism and sadism, bonding low and high functioning narcissistic counterparts to endlessly feed from each-others’ pathology, forming dysfunctional interpersonal relationships, cults or disintegrating societies. This sadomasochistic dependency also reflects several countries’ authoritarian trends, where narcissistic constituents’ unyielding loyalty elevates idolized leaders to power, preluding the establishment of toxic tyrannical governments.