ABSTRACT
Introduction
Narcissism has complex links with well-being. This study adopts the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept (NARC) to differentiate narcissistic admiration and rivalry, examining their associations with well-being across diverse cultural contexts.
Methods
We used data from 51,070 participants across 57 societies. Multilevel modeling was conducted to assess the associations between the two narcissism dimensions and well-being, and to test whether country-level individualism–collectivism moderates these relationships. Two cultural indices were used: the Minkov–Hofstede individualism score and the Global Collectivism Index.
Results
Narcissistic admiration was positively associated with well-being across all societies, indicating a culturally robust link. In contrast, narcissistic rivalry negatively predicted well-being, and this association was stronger in more individualistic and weaker in more collectivistic cultures. Moderation patterns were consistent across both cultural indices.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing narcissistic subdimensions and incorporating cultural perspectives when examining narcissisms psychological outcomes.