Narcissism Is Associated With Blunted Error-Related Brain Activity

Narcissism is associated with self-enhancement and social antagonism, yet its neural underpinnings, particularly in error processing, remain underexplored. Competing theoretical models, such as the mask model and the metacognitive model, offer conflicting hypotheses regarding how narcissism influences early neural responses to errors. We examine whether grandiose agentic narcissism relates to an elevated or blunted error-related negativity, a neural marker of cognitive control and performance monitoring.

In Study 1 (N = 144), participants completed the Eriksen Flanker Task while we recorded their neural responses to errors using electroencephalography. In Study 2 (N = 50), participants completed a modified version of the Flanker Task that included an explicit trial-by-trial feedback. Participants then completed the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire to assess admiration and rivalry narcissism.

Higher admiration and rivalry narcissism were associated with a blunted (less negative) error-related negativity. These associations held when controlling for the number of errors and were confirmed by an internal meta-analysis, which showed moderate effect sizes across analytic approaches.

The results are consistent with the metacognitive model of narcissism, showing that grandiose narcissists exhibit reduced neural sensitivity to errors. These findings highlight a potential mechanism through which narcissists resist self-corrective learning, bolstering their positive self-views. Blunted error processing may influence decision-making and behavior across contexts.