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

Background: Different narcissism facets are thought to motivate diverging regulatory behaviors (e.g., risk avoidance, aggression, self-enhancement), yet empirical evidence 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.Methods: We conducted a rigged video game tournament study in 169 depressed older adults (mean age=63±7 years). We expected narcissistic neuroticism and antagonism to increase and extraversion to decrease behavioral responses to anticipated defeat in a duel (point stealing from opponents) and narcissistic antagonism and extraversion to increase and neuroticism to decrease self-enhancing responses to status threats in the group (post-duel rank buying). Results: Multilevel models 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 trait structures (vulnerable-grandiose narcissism and Big Five dimensions) did not predict behavior, except for grandiose narcissism increasing rank buying.Conclusions: Narcissistic neuroticism appears to prompt self-deflation and submission in the face of defeat, whereas antagonism may increase ambitious self-promotion. Real-life behavioral expressions of narcissistic neuroticism and antagonism may be important, distinct targets in psychotherapy of late-life depression.