Fifty Shades of Darkness: A Socio-Cognitive Information-Processing Framework Applied to Narcissism and Psychopathy

Abstract

Existing trait-based and cognitive models of psychopathy and narcissism fail to provide a comprehensive framework that explains the continuum between sub-clinical and clinical presentations of those personalities and to predict associated maladaptive behavior in different social and cultural contexts. In this article, a socio-cognitive information-processing framework for narcissism and psychopathy (SCIPNP) is proposed to explain how psychopathic and narcissistic schemata influence the activation of psychological processes that interact with social and cultural contexts to display those personalities at a sub-clinical level. The proposed framework enables us to predict maladaptive behavior and to explain how sub-clinical narcissists and psychopaths develop personality disorders. The SCIPNP emphasizes the role of culture in shaping motives, appraisals, behavior and affect. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Keywords:

• Psychopathy
• narcissism
• processes
• maladaptive behavior
• culture

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Shira Elqayam for her insightful ideas.

Declaration of Interest

The authors have no interests to declare.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

B. Lopes

Dr Bárbara Lopes is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Researcher at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Portugal. She is an expert on cognitive and behavioral theory and treatments, with particular focus on psychosis.

H. Yu

Dr Hui Yu is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University in the UK. She has expertise in data mining and in cross-cultural research with a particular focus on emotional regulation strategies and mental health accross cultures.

C. Bortolon

Dr Catherine Bortolon is a Maitre de Conferences en Psicologie Clinique at the University of Grenoble in France. She is an international expert on cognitive and behavioral theory and treatments with a particular focus on psychosis. She is also an expert on neuroscience and mental health disorders.

R. Jaspal

Professor Rusi Jaspal is a Professor of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He developed Identity Process Theory in liaison with Dame Glynis Breakwell and is an international expert on identity and mental and sexual health.