Narcissism and Ostracism: A Vicious Social Loop

Narcissism may contribute to social exclusion, but ostracism itself can also fuel the development of narcissistic traits,” explained Christiane Büttner, lead author of a big new study published by the American Psychological Association.

That spiraling dynamic—people become narcissistic in part because they are excluded, and then get excluded more because of how they behave—feels especially resonant in a society still recovering from the isolations of COVID, where many of the rituals of social life (dinner parties, communal workspaces, religious attendance) are fraying.

Gen Z is now the loneliest generation on record; seventy-three percent say they often feel alone, and seventy-five percent have left a job for mental health reasons. Büttner’s work reminds us that narcissism is not just a personality defect—it can also be a coping strategy in an age of disconnection, shaped not just by personal psychology but by our communication patterns and tech habits.