Agentic and Communal Goals in Early Adulthood: Associations with Narcissism, Empathy, and Perceptions of Self and Others

Abstract

This study examined social goals of interpersonal agency (status, power) and communion (affiliation, closeness) in association with narcissism, empathy, and generalized perceptions of self and others in two studies of undergraduates. In Study 1 (N = 504) as well as Study 2 (N = 225), narcissism was positively and empathy negatively associated with agentic goals, whereas self-esteem, empathy, and generalized perception of others were positively related to communal goals. Longitudinal analysis in Study 2 indicated that narcissism predicted increases in agentic goals, whereas a positive perception of others was associated with increases in communal goals. The findings are discussed in light of theoretical and practical implications for the study of social goals, interpersonal agency and communion, and the development of social motivation.

Keywords:

• Social goals
• Narcissism
• Empathy
• Perception of self and others

Notes

1. The mathematical formulas of the vector scores that blend the scales of the circumplex into two overarching variables are as follows: Communal Goal Orientation = Communal – Separate + [.707*(Communal and Agentic + Communal and Submissive – Separate and Agentic – Separate and Submissive)]. Agentic Goal Orientation = Agentic – Submissive + [.707*(Communal and Agentic + Separate and Agentic – Communal and Submissive – Separate and Submissive)] (Locke, 2003).