Communal Narcissism

Communal narcissists prioritize communal over individual concerns—to be seen as helpful, selfless, or giving, often to the detriment of genuine concern for others. They often exaggerate their involvement in community or group activities to reinforce their belief in their superiority, desire for self-aggrandizement, and praise for their “altruism.” Behaviors  include bragging about their good deeds or charitable contributions, taking credit for other people’s work or ideas, interfering in other people’s lives or projects, assuming they know best, demanding recognition for their supposed helpfulness, and engaging in “virtue signaling.” Communal narcissists can be manipulative and exploitative, using their façade of helpfulness to control or manipulate others. They show little insight into their entitlement, antagonism, or lack of empathy in other close relationships. Communal narcissists post on social media or personal websites to show them interacting with the “less fortunate” and draw attention to their charitable deeds, then expect validation from their followers (‘Wow, you are amazing,” “You have the biggest heart ever”). Communal narcissism is not a recognized DSM-5 diagnostic category, but is recognized as one of five maladaptive narcissism subtypes. Also see NarcissismCommunion: Communion, a fundamental dimension of social functioning, involves having a