Psychophysiological characteristics of narcissism during active and passive coping

This study provides the first psychophysiological analysis of narcissism by measuring autonomic responses during active and passive anticipatory copin g in 40 undergraduate men who scored high or low on the Narcissistic Person ality inventory (NPI). Compared to the low NPI group, the high NPI group sh owed greater preejection period (PEP) shortening. cardiac deceleration, and skin conductance response (SCR) habituation during anticipation of an aver sive stimulus (p < .02). As expected, SCR and PEP reactivity were greater d uring active than passive coping. Tn the case of PEP, this effect emerged o nly in the low NPI group; the high NPI group showed the greatest PEP reacti vity during the first task, regardless of coping demands. These data suppor t hypothesized relationships among narcissism, psychopathy, and psychologic al predictors of cardiovascular disease, and suggest that a psychobiologica l dimension may underlie important features of narcissism.