Authors of research in the field of psychology have established a link between Facebook (and other social networks) and destructive behavior. They concluded that Facebook and other social networks create fertile ground for the development of excessive self-love and superficial friendships. The researchers identified an indirect connection between the number of Facebook friends and the degree of “antisocial, aggressive” narcissism. This supports the claims of many skeptics regarding the harmful effects of social networks. It was found that individuals who scored high on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory had many friends on Facebook and frequently commented and posted their own updates.
This research comes at a time when more indicators are emerging that young people are increasingly displaying heightened levels of narcissism and self-centeredness, while friendships are becoming more superficial. A recent publication in Personality and Individual Differences also confirms that individuals with narcissistic personality disorder react aggressively to critical comments made about them on their social network “wall” and change their profile pictures more often than others.
The link between narcissism and Facebook had been mentioned in earlier studies, but the latest research demonstrated a direct connection between having a large number of Facebook friends and the most destructive elements of narcissistic personality disorder. Researchers at Western Illinois University studied the Facebook behavior of 294 participants aged 18 to 65 and assessed the levels of two “socially destructive” elements of narcissism: the exhibitionistic need for attention and the exploitative style of interpersonal relationships.
The exhibitionistic need for attention includes “egocentrism, vanity, a sense of personal superiority, and a tendency toward exhibitionism.” People with a high degree of this aspect of narcissism have a constant need to be the center of attention. They often say shocking or highly revealing things, as it is unbearable for them to go unnoticed or miss an opportunity for self-promotion.
The exploitative style of relationships consists of “the need to gain the admiration of others and the tendency to manipulate and use people for personal gain.”
The authors of the study found that the higher a person scored in terms of the exhibitionistic need for attention, the more Facebook friends they had. Some participants had over 800 friends.
Individuals with a high need for attention and an exploitative style of interpersonal relationships were also more likely to accept friendship requests from strangers and more frequently sought support from their social group, while rarely offering support to anyone themselves.
Carol Craig, a sociologist and director of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being, believes that young people in the United Kingdom are increasingly suffering from narcissism, with Facebook serving as a platform for the development of this personality disorder. “Today, schools are placing more emphasis on the importance of self-assessment—on how children appear in the eyes of others. This method of education was borrowed from the United States and goes: ‘It all depends on you!’ Facebook provides a platform for self-promotion: There, you can constantly change your profile pictures and show everyone how many friends you have. I know people who have more than 1,000 friends.”
According to scientists, it is still difficult to definitively assert whether the emergence of certain behavioral patterns on Facebook are individual manifestations of narcissism or, conversely, whether those patterns of behavior on Facebook lead to the development of narcissistic traits—or if both are true. The author of the research, Christopher Carpenter, states: “Overall, the dark side of Facebook needs to be more thoroughly analyzed, which would allow us to better understand the positive and negative aspects of this phenomenon in society so that we can foster the former and neutralize the latter.”
