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The relationship between aggression, narcissism and other personality characteristics
Author
Noradlin Mohamed Yusof
Supervisor
Ang, Rebecca P.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of aggression, narcissism and other personality characteristics. A review of literature indicated that research in the areas of student aggression and student narcissism has been diverse and inconclusive. Research on child narcissism, together with personality characteristics such as manifest needs and inflated views of relationship quality was limited. The relationship between aggression and self-esteem, and between aggression and narcissism was not conclusive either.
The participants in sample A were made up of 224 primary school students and 146 secondary school students. The sample consisted of 176 males and 194 females from five education streams. Eleven form and subject teachers were also asked to provide information about their relationship with their students. The following variables were measured: aggression, narcissism, self-esteem, and inflated views of relationship quality.
The participants in sample B were 120 students, from a primary school. They were 65 males and 55 females from three education streams. The following variables were measured: narcissism and manifest needs.
Several statistical techniques were used to investigate the hypotheses. The two main statistical techniques used were t-tests and correlations.
The results of the t-tests and correlations showed that aggressive students scored significantly higher on narcissism scores compared to non-aggressive students. This suggests that the construct of narcissism differed between aggressive and non-aggressive students. However, means for self-esteem did not differ significantly between aggressive and non-aggressive students, suggesting that aggressive and non-aggressive students could not be differentiated based on self-esteem scores. Narcissistic students' self-rated relationship quality with teachers was significantly inflated relative to teacher-ratings, compared to non-narcissistic students. Thus, narcissistic students inflated the perceived quality of the teacher-student relationship relative to teachers' ratings. Narcissism was positively and significantly correlated with need for power, need for affiliation and need for achievement. Further analysis found that narcissism was unrelated to need for affiliation for boys. When boys and girls were further analysed separately, results indicated that narcissism appears unrelated to both groups on need for achievement.
The research is limited to only several schools at the primary and secondary levels. Future work involving clinical samples of aggressive and non-aggressive students is recommended. Furthermore, future studies could explore other aspects of children's personality characteristics and how they cope in schools.
The participants in sample A were made up of 224 primary school students and 146 secondary school students. The sample consisted of 176 males and 194 females from five education streams. Eleven form and subject teachers were also asked to provide information about their relationship with their students. The following variables were measured: aggression, narcissism, self-esteem, and inflated views of relationship quality.
The participants in sample B were 120 students, from a primary school. They were 65 males and 55 females from three education streams. The following variables were measured: narcissism and manifest needs.
Several statistical techniques were used to investigate the hypotheses. The two main statistical techniques used were t-tests and correlations.
The results of the t-tests and correlations showed that aggressive students scored significantly higher on narcissism scores compared to non-aggressive students. This suggests that the construct of narcissism differed between aggressive and non-aggressive students. However, means for self-esteem did not differ significantly between aggressive and non-aggressive students, suggesting that aggressive and non-aggressive students could not be differentiated based on self-esteem scores. Narcissistic students' self-rated relationship quality with teachers was significantly inflated relative to teacher-ratings, compared to non-narcissistic students. Thus, narcissistic students inflated the perceived quality of the teacher-student relationship relative to teachers' ratings. Narcissism was positively and significantly correlated with need for power, need for affiliation and need for achievement. Further analysis found that narcissism was unrelated to need for affiliation for boys. When boys and girls were further analysed separately, results indicated that narcissism appears unrelated to both groups on need for achievement.
The research is limited to only several schools at the primary and secondary levels. Future work involving clinical samples of aggressive and non-aggressive students is recommended. Furthermore, future studies could explore other aspects of children's personality characteristics and how they cope in schools.
Date Issued
2004
Call Number
BF723.A35 Nor
Date Submitted
2004