Ego-Threat:

Ego-threat is a broad concept that occurs “when favorable views about oneself are questioned, contradicted, impugned, mocked, challenged or otherwise put in jeopardy,” according to Baumeister and colleagues in describing their Threatened Egotism Model of Narcissism. Several types of ego-threats increase narcissistic aggression—most common to research is negative feedback or criticism, but there’s also evidence that social rejection (dislike, disrespect) and restricted freedom or autonomy similarly provoke aggression. Each of these threats challenges a narcissist’s self-view or self-worth in an agentic domain (intelligence, status), causing defensive reactions. Ego-threats can be failing a test, receiving negative feedback, or being publicly criticized, which can increase stress, anxiety, anger, or hostility and mask behavior to protect a fragile sense of self. When unregulated ego becomes egotism and feeing important becomes overinflated self-regard, it can affect decision-making, mood, or cause unethical or harmful behavior.