People with a pronounced anxious attachment are more likely to have increased levels of group narcissism, according to a new study by scientists from the Institute of Psychology of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The research was published in the journal Bulletin of Personality and Social Psychology.
Group narcissism is a phenomenon in which individuals exaggerate the positive image and importance of the group they belong to.
“In this study, we wanted to find out what causes such narcissism. Scientists have focused specifically on attachment styles to better understand their role in the formation of different attitudes towards one’s own national group,” he explained.
An attachment style or type is a way of relating to a partner. It is customary to distinguish four main models: reliable, anxious, avoidant and anxious-avoidant. The secure attachment type is not afraid of intimacy, is not dependent on others, and knows how to give and receive love. The second type is characterized by a deep fear of abandonment, the third by a fear of emotional intimacy. The fourth type combines the above fears.
About 1,400 people participated in the survey. Two questionnaires were administered to all of them, six months apart, to determine the level of collective narcissism and type of attachment.
As a result of the analysis of the data obtained, the scientists noted the relationship between the anxious attachment type and national narcissism, which is associated with deviant collective actions (such as blocking the streets or destroying property to exert political pressure) and increased readiness. for the conspiracy.
“We found that anxiety at the individual level is expressed in collective defense as national narcissism manifested in the desire to know one’s own group. “It shows that such social behavior compensates for a person’s inner dissatisfaction,” the authors said.