Trifurcated Model of Narcissism: Behavioral Validation Using a Social Defeat Experiment in Depressed Older Adults

Background: Various facets of narcissism are thought to motivate diverging regulatory behaviors (e.g., risk avoidance, aggression, and self-enhancement), yet empirical evidence of these behaviors co-occurring with self-reported narcissism dimensions is lacking, especially in clinical contexts. We tested whether the dimensions of the Trifurcated Model of Narcissism (narcissistic neuroticism, antagonism, and extraversion) predicted trait-congruent behavioral responses to defeat in depressed older adults, comparing them to vulnerable-grandiose and Big Five traits.Methods: We conducted a rigged video game tournament study in 169 older adults with depression (mean age = 63±7 years), testing the hypotheses that narcissistic neuroticism and antagonism would increase and extraversion, decrease behavioral responses to anticipated defeat in a duel (point stealing from opponents) and that narcissistic antagonism and extraversion would increase and neuroticism, decrease self-enhancing responses to status threats in the group (post-duel rank buying).Results: Multilevel models including individual random slopes for trial (time on task) indicated that, contrary to our hypothesis, narcissistic neuroticism decreased point stealing. As hypothesized, narcissistic antagonism increased and narcissistic neuroticism decreased rank buying. Narcissistic extraversion and alternative vulnerable-grandiose or Big Five trait structures did not predict behavior, except for grandiose narcissism increasing rank buying.Conclusions: Among Trifurcated Model components, narcissistic antagonism predicted increased status-enhancing behaviors, as did grandiosity. Narcissistic neuroticism predicted decreased status-enhancing responses, but also, unexpectedly, decreased defensive rule-breaking, consistent with self-deflation and submission in the face of defeat as opposed to rivalry. Real-life behavioral expressions of narcissistic neuroticism and antagonism may be important, distinct targets in psychotherapy of late-life depression.