What It Is, Causes, and How to Deal With It

Communal narcissism is a form of maladaptive narcissism. As the name suggests, it refers to inflated perceptions of oneself within a bigger setting than just their immediate environment.

Dr. Patrice Le Goy, LMFT, explains that “what makes it communal is that for these people, this narcissism takes place in social, community situations that may be focused in the charitable or benevolent arenas or may just show up as people trying very hard to appear as good and caring friends or coworkers.”

If you’re a little confused by this idea or unsure about how a communal narcissist differs other types of narcissism, read on to gain a deeper understanding. We’ll cover more about what the term means, the causes of communal narcissism, and how this personality can be identified.

Defining Communal Narcissism

Communal narcissism became more well-known as a concept after a study on the topic was published in 2018 in the Journal of Research in Personality.

The study noted that “these findings support the notion that communal narcissism may represent an effort to gain favorable appraisals from others in the absence of a genuine communal self-view.” This means that someone who is a communal narcissist feels good about themself exclusively by how they imagine they are perceived for their contributions to others.

“Communal narcissism is defined by the same sense of entitlement and grandiosity that we are familiar with as traditional narcissism,” explains Le Goy. The main difference is that a communal narcissist moves outside their own self to validate their worth. The end result of those actions, says Le Goy, is that it “allows the communal narcissist to be viewed as someone who actually is working to help other people and receive the praise associated with this.”

Communal Narcissists Seek Praise

Unlike people with good, charitable intentions, a communal narcissist is a person who is only behaving well and helping others for the sake of receiving praise for their actions or being perceived as morally superior.

Communal narcissists may require this praise from their community because they do not believe in their own worth themselves, and need to get that validation from others.

Characteristics of Communal Narcissism

It can be hard to tell that someone is a communal narcissist. That’s because initially, their personality traits probably make them seem like a lovely, caring person. However, as you get to know them, it may become clear that this person is not as great as they initially seemed.

“Communal narcissists are charming and appear to be incredibly helpful and warm,” says Le Goy. That’s why at first, you might not realize anything is wrong. As you get to know them, though, the narcissistic traits become apparent.

In addition to acting as though no one measures up to them, she says that “they have unrealistic expectations of others, a need for public validation, and grandiose beliefs about themselves and their capabilities.”

What Causes Communal Narcissism?

Though you may suspect it’s not that big of a deal to be a narcissist, the truth is that narcissism negatively impacts the lives of the people who suffer from it, in addition to those they mistreat due to their condition.

We can’t say 100% for sure what causes personality issues, however, it’s believed that for any form of pathological narcissism there are contributions of early relational experiences and unmet needs. In addition, “Communal narcissism can be caused by a history of abuse or neglect or another type of childhood trauma,” explains Le Goy.

“Narcissism often takes place when people have unmet needs and desire to experience those expressions of love and validation through any means necessary,” says Le Goy.

The development of narcissism is likely unintentional, and a communal narcissist may be entirely unaware of their problem.

People Affected By Communal Narcissism May Experience Trust Issues

Communal narcissism can impact people in a profoundly negative way. This is because a communal narcissist makes others think that their actions are pure in intent when really they are being performed for the sake of receiving praise and admiration and being perceived as special. In turn, this can cause trust issues in a larger capacity.

Signs That Someone You Know May Be a Communal Narcissist

Initially, when you first meet a communal narcissist, it’s unlikely that you will realize they are one. It can take time to see their personality traits and to realize that their intentions aren’t as genuine as you believed.

When someone does something nice for you, they should be doing so because they want to. However, if they immediately demand recognition, that may be a sign of communal narcissism.

If you see someone behaving in a way that makes them look like the “good guy” in public, but act quite differently behind closed doors, there is a chance they’re a communal narcissist.

There are many other ways in which communal narcissism can manifest:

• Centering public attention on themself
• Donating a large amount of money to a cause, while telling others about it and admonishing them if they don’t also donate
• Discussion about the importance of fairness, but behaving unfairly towards others
• Exaggerating their knowledge or skillset
• Participation in “virtue signaling,” or expressing their ideas for the sake of looking morally superior
• Offering time, goods, or services to others, then insisting on receiving admiration or praise

How to Deal With Someone Who Is a Communal Narcissist

As you may be aware, telling a narcissist that you see through them isn’t likely to yield good results.

It’s Best to Set Boundaries

“If you have a communal narcissist in your life, it is usually not helpful to try to explain why you don’t think their intentions are legitimate,” says Le Goy. Instead of that, she tells us that “it is preferable to create boundaries so that you are not taken on their rollercoaster of emotions.”

Don’t Allow Their Behavior to Change Who You Are

You can also set an example about communal narcissism by being a genuine person yourself. “Providing genuine love and validation to other people lessens the need to create a false scenario where this can take place,” suggest Le Goy.

By being the best version of yourself, without expecting praise or admiration in response to your good deeds, you help create a better and more safe world.