According to psychology, this phenomenon is called Communal Narcissism.
“Communal narcissism is a form of maladaptive narcissism. As the name suggests, it refers to inflated perceptions of oneself within a broader social context,” says Dr Patrice Le Goy, an acclaimed psychologist.
The concept of communal narcissism gained traction after a study on the subject was published in 2018 in the Journal of Research in Personality.
The study noted, “These findings support the notion that communal narcissism may represent an effort to gain favourable appraisals from others in the absence of a genuine communal self-view.”
In other words, a communal narcissist derives self-esteem by imagining how others perceive them for their contributions.
“Communal narcissism is defined by the same sense of entitlement and grandiosity that we associate with traditional narcissism,” explains Dr Le Goy. “The main difference is that a communal narcissist seeks validation outside of themselves to affirm their worth.”
The outcome of these actions, says Dr Le Goy, is that communal narcissists can be seen as altruistic individuals who are committed to helping others, reaping the associated praise.
There are, however, situations that allow us to peer beyond the veil of societal pretence and narcissism to reveal people’s true nature.
In a Crisis
If you want to test a person’s character, present them with a crisis that casts them in a starring role. It is in times of crisis that our instincts take over, and our true colours come through vividly, exposing who we really are. Whether it’s a breakup, a financial setback, or even a bad day, crises have a way of stripping away the veneer of respectability to reveal our core selves. As the saying goes, adversity introduces us and others to our true selves.
If you are the sort who rushes around in panic during a crisis yet remains cool and composed otherwise, it’s likely the latter behaviour is just a facade.