Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
Published on: March 1, 2017
Narcissism and the use of personal pronouns
Abstract:
In this study we explored the relationship between narcissism and the individual's use of personal pronouns during extemporaneous monologues. The subjects, 24 males and 24 females, were asked to talk for approximately 5 minutes on any topic they chose. Following the monologues the subjects were administered the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. The monologues were tape-recorded and later transcribed and analyzed for the subjects' use of personal pronouns. As hypothesized, individuals who scored higher on narcissism tended to use more first person singular pronouns and fewer first person plural pronouns. Discriminant validity for the relationship between narcissism and first person pronoun usage was exhibited in that narcissism did not show a relationship with subjects' use of second and third person pronouns, nor did the personality variables of extraversion, neuroticism, or locus of control exhibit any relationship with the subjects' personal pronoun usage.
More Related Videos
08:01Virtual Hand with Ambiguous Movement between the Self and Other Origin: Sense of Ownership and 'Other-Produced' Agency
Published on: October 28, 2020
04:51A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
Published on: July 8, 2025
Related Concept Videos
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Personality Disorders: Narcissistic and Avoidant
Characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic individuals exhibit an inflated sense of self-importance and an excessive need for admiration. They are often...
Personal Identity
Dark Triad and Person Perception
Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits