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People high in certain personality traits, especially narcissism, should be very sensitive to failure.

In an empirical test of personality’s role in reacting to failure, new research shows where narcissism fits.

By being willing to learn from your failures, you’ll be better able to navigate life’s ups and downs.

Coming to grips with your own limitations is never very pleasant. However, some people are able to bounce back without too much difficulty. You’ve undoubtedly had the experience of not getting the promotion or raise you desire, not being invited to a friend’s birthday party, or just being ignored instead of complimented for your new outfit. With disappointment comes rationalization. Everyone can think of reasons other than to attribute the outcome to their own failings, but eventually, most people face the hard truth. Not so for a narcissist, though.

When people high in narcissism must confront failure, they can feel the pain penetrate their very soul. Dependent on constant admiration and the need to succeed, they simply cannot stand to seem weak or flawed. The question is, what will they do next? How can they rationalize failure when all they seek is success?

The Role of Personality in Self-Protection

According to Witten/Herdecke University’s Christoph Heine and colleagues (2026), negative feedback serves to contradict a person’s “valued self-conception.” This, in turn, triggers the “self-protection motive.” In the case of failing to pass a test or receive a promotion, the self-protection motive can lead people to question the validity of the evaluation itself and the competence of the person providing the........

© Psychology Today