Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair and Members

Kevin Meehan, Chair

Philip Wong

Liza Rimsky

Keywords

Criticism, Externalization, Internalization, Narcissism, Self-protection strategy, Status

Abstract

The rising prevalence of narcissistic traits has sparked interest in how individuals with these traits navigate social interactions. Existing research often emphasizes antagonistic or provocative scenarios, potentially overlooking reactions in everyday contexts. This study examines responses to negative feedback in a less aggressive setting, where 205 undergraduate students wrote about something personally meaningful before receiving critical feedback from either a high-status or low-status evaluator. Emotional responses, including internalization, externalization, and self-protection strategies, were analyzed across varying levels of narcissistic traits. Findings revealed that evaluator status did not significantly influence emotional processing or self-protection strategies, regardless of narcissism levels, potentially due to factors discussed in the discussion and future directions sections. Exploratory analyses tested alternate models. While narcissistic traits shaped emotional responses, they appeared less central in moderating reactions to feedback than previously thought, offering a nuanced perspective on narcissistic vulnerability and self-protection in realistic contexts.

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