Narcissists always give themselves away
By Adriana Diaz
They’re so vain — and this new study is definitely about them.
Looking to weed out the narcissists in your life? Researchers say there’s one, hard-to-hide habit the unpalatable personality type finds impossible to break.
The way they engage with their smartphones can tell you everything you need to know, new findings reveal — those with narcissistic tendencies are significantly more likely to exhibit problematic patterns of scrolling, posting, and liking social media posts.
Young bearded man in gold crown taking a selfie with smartphone
4
A narcissist a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.
Galina_lya – stock.adobe.com
The data, published in the Journal of Research in Personality, shows that a person’s social media behavior could be an indicator that someone is a bit too into themselves.
Social media addiction goes beyond heavy usage. It includes behaviors like compulsively checking for updates, being unable to cut back despite negative consequences, and relying on online interactions for emotional satisfaction.
Explore More
(Left) Screenshot from pilot Pete Cappio's TikTok. ( Top right) Planes waiting to leave out of Newark Liberty International Airport. (Bottom right) Crowds waiting at Newark Airport. (Inset) Pilot Pete Cappio.
I'm a pilot — here's the disastrous truth about flying out of Newark Airport
A confused dad has been left stumped by his 10-year-old son’s maths homework, so he’s turned to the internet for help.
Dad stumped by 10-year-old son's math homework: 'Must be missing something'
(Left) Nurse holding baby. (Right) Newborn baby sleeping. (Inset) Newborn wearing name bracelet.
This is the 'No. 1 worst baby name' ever, according to nurses: 'It keeps me up at night'
These behaviors can lead to problems in real life — including sleep problems, reduced face-to-face interaction, and poor job or academic performance.
The team worked to explore not just whether narcissism and addiction are linked, but how they might influence each other over time.
Chase Reynolds looking at his muscles and biceps in mirror after workout
4
A new study found that those with narcissistic tendencies are significantly more likely to exhibit problematic patterns of scrolling, posting, and liking social media posts.
motortion – stock.adobe.com
To begin, they identified six forms of narcissism: admiration, rivalry, enmity, isolation, heroism, and sanctity.
The study sample was comprised of 339 adults aged 19 to 41, living in Poland. They all completed multiple assessments, answered questions about their social media use, and filled out established measures of narcissism and social networking addiction focused on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
The results showed that individuals who scored high in nearly every form of narcissism — except sanctity— also reported higher levels of social media addiction.
Young girl distracted by mobile phone, accidentally crashing into a street post and dropping her phone
4
The team discovered that individuals who scored high in nearly every form of narcissism — except sanctity— also reported higher levels of social media addiction.
Valerii Honcharuk – stock.adobe.com
However, the dynamic between the two varied depending on the type of narcissism.
Those with heroism, admiration, and rivalry had what researchers called a “reciprocal” relationship with addiction.
When one went up, the other tended to go down over time, suggesting a push-pull dynamic where users may alternate between bursts of ego-driven behavior and periods of compulsive social media use. This hints at an internal struggle between seeking admiration and dealing with the consequences of addiction.
How "selfie"-absorbed are you?
Asian mother stopping her daughter from using smartphone to limit screen time and excessive online gaming
4
Social media addiction has been found to led to behaviors that can lead to problems IRL, including sleep problems, reduced face-to-face interaction, and poor job or academic performance.
9nong – stock.adobe.com
See Also
dating
If you get ‘the ick’ often, you probably possess this negative personality trait — study says
In contrast, enmity (a hostile, antagonistic form of narcissism) and isolation (withdrawn and cold) tracked in sync with social media addiction. When usage spiked, so did these darker narcissistic traits — and vice versa.
That suggests these traits may actually worsen the addiction or feed off it in a continuous loop.
So, what does this mean for the average user?
If someone is constantly glued to their phone, obsessing over likes and followers, they might not just be addicted to their feed — they could also be revealing something about their personality.
And if their behavior seems driven by a need for admiration or marked by antagonism, you might be looking at a narcissistic pattern.
Of course, the researchers caution that their study was based entirely on self-report data, which means some findings could be influenced by how honestly participants assessed their own behaviors and traits.
Still, the study opens a fascinating window into how our online habits mirror our inner worlds.
So next time you find yourself — or someone else — unable to stop refreshing that Instagram feed, it might be worth asking: Is this just a bad habit — or a sign of something worse?
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings