Thriving in Opposition: The Effect of Boycotting on Narcissists' Well-Being

Abstract

Consumer boycott is increasing, driven by value conflicts between individuals and brands. We hypothesize that narcissistic profiles affect the way that consumers experience the value conflicts implicit in a boycott, thereby affecting well-being post-boycott. We investigated well-being outcomes for different narcissistic profiles for liberal and conservative boycotts. We analyzed data from 395 liberal and conservative boycott participants in the United States, exploring how narcissistic traits influence well-being post-boycott. Results showed that boycotting enhances the well-being of grandiose narcissists but decreases the well-being of vulnerable narcissists in both contexts. Interestingly, in conservative boycotts, the need for approval mitigates the well-being decline for vulnerable narcissists, indicating that group validation may enhance their well-being. These findings underscore the significance of political alignment, narcissistic traits, and social endorsement in influencing boycott-related well-being outcomes. Our study advances anti-consumption literature by elucidating the psychological effects of consumer boycotts and the intricate interplay between narcissism and values on well-being.