Narcissists feel more excluded and experience ‘social pain’, scientists say

Narcissists. The scheming, self-centred, much-maligned and overdiagnosed personality types are not often the subject of sympathy. But a new study has cast people with narcissistic personality traits in a new light – as feeling more excluded than their peers, and stuck in a behavioural doom loop they can’t easily escape.

That’s according to research published on Thursday in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that shows people with narcissistic personality traits feel ostracised more often than their less self-absorbed peers. This is due to narcissists’ tendency to view social cues as negative, even when they’re not intended to be. But it’s not all a figment of the imagination either – narcissists are also more likely to be excluded from groups due to their strong personality types.



Over time, this exclusion can further exacerbate narcissistic traits, creating a “self-perpetuating cycle”, researchers found..