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(https://www.psypost.org/gut-microbiota-linked-to-functional-changes-in-psychiatric-disorders-study-reveals/) Gut microbiota linked to functional changes in psychiatric disorders, study reveals
Dec 23rd 2024, 08:00

A study of individuals with various psychiatric disorders found that gut microbiota composition is associated with changes in psychological functioning. Specifically, the researchers identified associations between functional domains—negative valence, social processes, cognitive systems, and arousal/regulatory systems—and the abundance of eight microbial genera in the gut. The research was published in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.037) Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Human behavior, psychological functioning, and neurological processes can be broadly categorized into several functional domains. One widely used framework for this categorization is the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), developed by the United States National Institute of Mental Health. The RDoC framework defines six domains: negative valence systems, positive valence systems, cognitive systems, social processes, arousal/regulatory systems, and sensorimotor systems.
Negative valence systems involve responses to aversive stimuli such as fear, anxiety, and loss, and are implicated in conditions like anxiety disorders or depression. Positive valence systems govern processes related to reward, motivation, and decision-making, with dysregulation contributing to disorders such as addiction or anhedonia. Cognitive systems encompass higher-order cognitive processes, including attention, memory, and executive function, which are often impaired in disorders like schizophrenia or ADHD.
Social process systems govern the understanding of and interaction with others, including social cognition and perception of social cues, with disruptions linked to conditions like autism or social anxiety. Arousal and regulatory systems regulate states such as arousal, sleep, wakefulness, and homeostasis, with dysfunction associated with sleep disorders or mood instability. The sensorimotor systems, recently added to the framework, involve motor output and sensory integration, and are affected in conditions like Parkinson’s disease or tic disorders.
Study author Danique Mulder and colleagues aimed to explore the association between these functional domains and gut microbiota composition. The recent discovery of the microbiota-gut-brain axis—a bidirectional communication pathway linking the brain and the community of microorganisms in the human gut—has spurred a wave of research examining the connections between gut microbiota and psychological and mental health conditions. These studies are rapidly identifying and mapping the biochemical pathways underlying these interactions.
The study included 369 participants. Among them, 97 had no psychiatric conditions, while 272 were diagnosed with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, and/or substance use disorders. The average age of participants was 40–41 years, and 53% were men.
Participants provided fecal samples, enabling researchers to examine the composition of their gut microbiota. They also completed eight self-report questionnaires designed to assess disorder-specific symptoms, personality traits, and other psychological constructs. Based on these questionnaires, the researchers created measures of functioning in four of the six RDoC domains: negative valence, social processes, cognitive systems, and arousal/regulatory systems. Higher scores in these domains indicate worse functioning, or greater impairment.
The results revealed that individuals with higher diversity of microbial species within their gut microbiota (alpha diversity) tended to have lower scores in the negative valence and arousal/regulatory systems domains, indicating better functioning in these areas.
The abundance of eight out of the 211 identified genera of gut microorganisms was associated with functioning in the four RDoC domains. Higher abundances of CHKCI001, Sellimonas, Flavonifractor, and Oscillibacter were linked to higher scores in the negative valence domain, indicating worse functioning in that domain. Conversely, lower abundances of Clostridium sensu stricto 1 bacteria were associated with better functioning in the negative valence domain.
Higher abundance of the Sellimonas genus was associated with worse functioning in the social processes domain, while higher abundance of Sporobacter and lower abundance of Hungatella were linked to worse functioning in the cognitive systems domain.
“In this study we identified several associations between the gut microbiota and RDoC domains of functioning across stress-related and neurodevelopmental disorders, which partially manifest in a domain specific and partially in a broader, generalized context,” the study authors concluded. “These findings advocate for the inclusion of gut microbial measures in a multidimensional diagnostic framework, such as RDoC, complementing other established disease markers including brain, genetic, and immunological markers. Such an integrated approach could enhance our understanding of the multifaceted biological factors influencing mental health, potentially unlocking new avenues for developing targeted therapeutic interventions.”
The study makes an important contribution to understanding the role gut microbiota play in human mental health. However, it should be noted that the research focused on broad functional domains rather than specific symptoms. Additionally, gut microbiota composition can change due to dietary factors, and it remains unclear how such changes might influence the observed associations.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.037) Gut microbiota composition links to variation in functional domains across psychiatric disorders,” was authored by Danique Mulder, Babette Jakobi, Yingjie Shi, Peter Mulders, Josina D. Kist, Rose M. Collard, Janna N. Vrijsen, Phillip van Eijndhoven, Indira Tendolkar, Mirjam Bloemendaal, and Alejandro Arias Vasquez.

(https://www.psypost.org/scientists-find-49-genetic-regions-linking-adhd-and-dyslexia/) Scientists find 49 genetic regions linking ADHD and dyslexia
Dec 23rd 2024, 06:00

A new study published in (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-024-02649-8) Molecular Psychiatry has uncovered genetic connections between dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), offering the strongest evidence yet of shared genetic influences between the two conditions. Scientists analyzed vast datasets encompassing millions of participants, providing a clearer picture of how genetic factors may contribute to the frequent co-occurrence of these neurodevelopmental traits. The findings not only confirm the genetic overlap between dyslexia and ADHD but also identify novel genetic variants associated with both conditions.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty characterized by persistent challenges with reading, spelling, and writing despite normal intelligence and adequate education. It affects how the brain processes language, often leading to difficulties in recognizing written words, decoding sounds, and spelling accurately.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. Individuals with ADHD may struggle with maintaining focus, organizing tasks, or controlling impulses, which can impact academic, occupational, and social activities.
Dyslexia and ADHD often co-occur, with approximately 25-40% of individuals diagnosed with one condition also meeting the criteria for the other. While previous research has pointed to genetic influences in both disorders, the exact nature of their genetic relationship remained unclear. Most genetic studies on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders have focused on individual conditions, neglecting the broader connections among traits.
“At the outset of this study, we had solid evidence suggesting a genetic link between dyslexia and ADHD. However, it was far less clear whether dyslexia might also share genetic links with other childhood traits, particularly autism,” explained study author Austėja Čiulkinytė, a PhD student in the Translational Neuroscience PhD program at the University of Edinburgh.
“Previous genetic studies have focused on comparisons of two traits, such as studying dyslexia and ADHD or dyslexia and autism. We wanted to take a broader approach by using a technique that examines the underlying genetics of multiple traits together. This allowed us to investigate whether there might be a shared set of genes across all neurodevelopmental traits, or whether they form genetically distinct categories.”
To investigate the genetic overlap between dyslexia and ADHD, the researchers utilized publicly available genetic data from large-scale studies. The datasets included information on over 453,000 individuals diagnosed with one of ten neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions, such as autism, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Dyslexia-related genetic data came from an analysis of over one million participants, conducted in collaboration with the genomics company 23andMe.
The research team used advanced statistical methods to build a genetic model that clustered these conditions based on shared genetic influences. They employed genomic structural equation modeling, a technique that identifies patterns of genetic correlations among multiple traits. The analysis focused on identifying latent genetic factors—underlying clusters of traits with shared genetic liability—and pinpointing specific genetic variants that influence both dyslexia and ADHD.
“By studying many related behaviors together, we are able to boost the statistical power for gene discovery,” said senior author Michelle Luciano, a professor of psychology and language sciences at the University of Edinburgh.
The researchers identified a new genetic factor that clusters dyslexia and ADHD together, which they referred to as the “attention and learning difficulties” factor. This latent factor represents the genetic commonalities that underlie traits related to challenges in reading, attention, and cognitive performance. This factor was separate from other clusters of traits, such as neurodevelopmental disorders, internalizing disorders (e.g., anxiety and depression), and psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia and bipolar disorder).
Dyslexia and ADHD displayed a moderate genetic correlation of 0.40, indicating a substantial overlap in genetic influences. This finding is consistent with previous twin and family studies, which have shown that these two conditions often co-occur and may share common biological pathways.
Interestingly, the study found no significant genetic correlation between dyslexia and autism, despite some overlapping traits, such as difficulties with sensory processing. This suggests that dyslexia and ADHD are more closely related genetically than dyslexia and autism.
“Our original hypothesis was the opposite of what we found,” Čiulkinytė told PsyPost. “Initially, we thought that dyslexia, ADHD, and autism would all fall under the same genetically correlated cluster. However, the data showed that this was not the case.”
“In this study, we show that dyslexia and ADHD in fact share a distinct set of genetic influences, which are different from those of other neurodevelopmental traits. We propose that in the context of genetics, ADHD might be better understood as an attention and learning difficulty (like dyslexia) rather than a purely neurodevelopmental trait (like autism).”
One of the most groundbreaking aspects of the study was the discovery of 49 genomic regions associated with both dyslexia and ADHD, 43 of which had not been previously identified. These regions were mapped to 174 protein-coding genes, many of which play crucial roles in brain development, synaptic signaling, and cognitive processes.
Among these genes, SORCS3, TRAIP, AMT, and TCTA emerged as particularly noteworthy candidates. For example:

SORCS3 is involved in neural signaling and synaptic plasticity, processes critical for learning and memory. It has been linked to reduced spatial learning abilities, which are often affected in both dyslexia and ADHD.
TRAIP is essential for maintaining genome integrity and has been associated with cognitive function and intelligence in previous studies.
AMT plays a role in neuronal development and has been strongly associated with educational attainment, a trait negatively impacted by both dyslexia and ADHD.
TCTA has been implicated in cognitive performance and problem-solving abilities, further highlighting its relevance to attention and learning processes.

The attention and learning difficulties factor identified in the study showed strong correlations with traits related to academic and cognitive performance. For example, individuals with genetic predispositions to dyslexia and ADHD were more likely to struggle with linguistic and mathematical tasks, such as reading comprehension and problem-solving. The factor also negatively correlated with measures of educational attainment, such as the likelihood of obtaining higher qualifications or completing formal education.
The study sheds light on the complex genetic connections between dyslexia and ADHD, offering a new framework for understanding their frequent co-occurrence. However, there are some limitations. The genetic datasets included primarily individuals of European ancestry, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations. Future studies should incorporate more diverse genetic data to ensure broader applicability.
The study also did not include conditions such as dyscalculia or developmental language disorders, which often co-occur with dyslexia and ADHD. Including these traits in future research could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the genetic architecture of learning difficulties.
“In the future, it would be great to extend this analysis by including datasets on genetic influences of other learning difficulties, particularly dyscalculia and dyspraxia,” Čiulkinytė said. “This will help us to better define the set of genes affecting attention and learning difficulties in the broad sense.”
“I think it is important to highlight that our study focuses on population genetics of complex traits: we are studying millions of small genetic changes, each with a tiny effect, across thousands of individuals,” she added. “This type of study allows us to better understand the overall pattern of how dyslexia and ADHD manifest, uncover potential genetic causes, and suggest that they both might benefit from similar management approaches. However, it does not mean that every individual with ADHD is also dyslexic or vice versa.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-024-02649-8) Genetic neurodevelopmental clustering and dyslexia,” was authored by Austeja Ciulkinyte, Hayley S. Mountford, Pierre Fontanillas, 23andMe Research Team, Timothy C. Bates, Nicholas G. Martin, Simon E. Fisher, and Michelle Luciano.

(https://www.psypost.org/christmas-comes-faster-every-year-psychology-study-sheds-light-on-holiday-time-distortions/) Christmas comes faster every year? Psychology study sheds light on holiday time distortions
Dec 22nd 2024, 14:00

New research published in (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304660) PLOS One investigates why annual events like Christmas and Ramadan often feel like they come around more quickly each year. The study, which spanned participants in the United Kingdom and Iraq, found that the perception of time speeding up between such events is widespread and influenced by factors such as enjoyment of the event, memory function, and attention to time. Importantly, the study challenges the common belief that these distortions in time perception are more pronounced with age.
The sensation that time speeds up as we age—or that recurring events like Christmas seem to arrive faster—has become a common anecdote in everyday life. However, this feeling isn’t fully understood. Previous research has often linked distortions in time perception to short-term experiences, such as how an engaging activity can make hours feel like minutes, or boredom can stretch minutes into an eternity. Less is known about how time distortions occur over longer periods, particularly for events that recur annually.
The researchers aimed to explore whether specific psychological factors—like emotional responses to the events, memory function, and attentional habits—contribute to these perceptions. They also sought to determine whether age plays a significant role, as is often assumed.
The sensation that time speeds up as we age—or that recurring events like Christmas seem to arrive faster—has become a common anecdote in everyday life. However, this feeling isn’t fully understood. Previous research has often linked distortions in time perception to short-term experiences, such as how an engaging activity can make hours feel like minutes, or boredom can stretch minutes into an eternity. Less is known about how time distortions occur over longer periods, particularly for events that recur annually.
The researchers aimed to explore whether specific psychological factors—like emotional responses to the events, memory function, and attentional habits—contribute to these perceptions. They also sought to determine whether age plays a significant role, as is often assumed.
The researchers carried out two studies—one focusing on Christmas in the United Kingdom and the other on Ramadan in Iraq. Both events were chosen for their cultural significance and the way they punctuate the annual calendar.
The first study recruited 789 participants, aged 18 to 80, through an online platform. Participants were asked to rate their agreement with the statement, “Christmas comes around more quickly each year,” using a seven-point scale. They also completed questionnaires assessing their attention to time, enjoyment of Christmas, memory function, and overall quality of life.
To measure memory, the researchers used a self-reported tool that assessed prospective memory (remembering to do things in the future) and retrospective memory (recalling past events). Emotional responses to Christmas were gauged through a separate scale, and attention to time was assessed by asking participants how frequently they thought about time in their daily lives.
The second study followed a similar design but replaced references to Christmas with Ramadan. This study involved 621 participants from Iraq, all of whom self-identified as Muslim. The questionnaires were adapted to reflect cultural differences, such as using validated Arabic translations. Like the first study, participants were asked to evaluate the passage of time, memory function, enjoyment of Ramadan, and attention to time.
The timing of each study aligned with the lead-up to the respective events, as these periods often involve heightened awareness and preparation, potentially influencing perceptions of time.
Both studies revealed a strong agreement with the idea that annual events seem to come around more quickly each year. In the United Kingdom, 76% of participants agreed that Christmas felt like it came sooner, while 70% of participants in Iraq expressed the same belief about Ramadan.
Several key factors were linked to these perceptions:

Event enjoyment: Participants who reported greater enjoyment of Christmas or Ramadan were more likely to feel that these events came around faster. This aligns with previous research suggesting that positive emotions can make time feel like it passes more quickly.
Attention to time: Increased day-to-day focus on time was associated with stronger beliefs that the events arrived sooner. This may reflect heightened awareness or time pressure as the events approach.
Memory function: Surprisingly, prospective memory errors—difficulty in remembering future tasks—were linked to a faster perceived passage of time. This suggests that thinking ahead to event-related tasks might influence the sensation of time speeding up.
Age: Contrary to popular belief, older age was not associated with greater time distortions for annual events. In Iraq, younger participants were actually more likely to perceive Ramadan as arriving quickly, while age had no significant effect in the United Kingdom.

Despite their similarities as annual milestones, Christmas and Ramadan differ in duration, cultural practices, and timing. Christmas is fixed on December 25, while Ramadan shifts based on the lunar calendar. The researchers noted that these differences might influence how time is experienced, but the psychological predictors of time distortion—enjoyment, attention, and memory—remained consistent across both cultures.
While the study sheds light on the psychological factors influencing perceptions of time, it also has limitations. For example, the use of self-reported questionnaires introduces the potential for bias. Participants may respond based on cultural stereotypes or general beliefs rather than actual experiences.
Nevertheless, the study demonstrates that the sensation of annual events coming around more quickly is a shared experience across cultures, rooted in psychological factors like memory, attention, and emotional responses.
“The results of this study suggests that there is widespread belief that annual events such as Christmas and Ramadan feel as though they come around more quickly each year,” the researchers concluded. “The sensation is not therefore limited to a single culture or event. The extent to which people agreed that these events appear to occur more quickly each year was predicted by prospective memory function, event specific enjoyment and attention to time. Critically, older age was not associated with greater speeding up of time between events in either country. These findings highlight that our experience of time is not just influenced by what we have already done, but also our capacity to remember what remains to be done. Further research exploring the role of prospective memory in timing is therefore warranted.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304660) Distortions to the passage of time for annual events: Exploring why Christmas and Ramadan feel like they come around more quickly each year,” was authored by Ruth Ogden, Saad S. J. Alatrany, Ashraf Muwafaq Flaiyah, Hasan ALi Sayyid ALdrraji, Hanan Musa, Abbas S. S. Alatrany, and Dhiya Al-Jumeily.

(https://www.psypost.org/self-compassion-mitigates-negative-effects-of-self-objectification-on-postpartum-well-being/) Self-compassion mitigates negative effects of self-objectification on postpartum well-being
Dec 22nd 2024, 12:00

A study published in (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01516-8) Sex Roles reveals that postpartum self-objectification negatively impacts women’s well-being, while self-compassion mediates these effects, promoting positive outcomes.
The postpartum period can involve significant physical and psychological changes, exposing women to societal pressures and increased objectification. In this work, Becky L. Choma and colleagues explored the relationship between self-objectification and postpartum well-being, focusing on how self-compassion might buffer against associated negative outcomes.
Despite prior evidence linking self-compassion to improved outcomes during motherhood, few studies had examined its potential to mediate the effects of self-objectification.
This study builds on Fredrickson and Roberts’ (1997) objectification theory, which suggests that societal objectification leads women to internalize appearance-based self-worth, exacerbating issues like body shame and depression.
The researchers recruited 162 women who had given birth within the past three years through online mom groups and social media platforms. Participants completed a 15-minute Qualtrics survey. Self-objectification was assessed using the Self-Objectification: Beliefs and Behaviors Scale, which evaluates the degree to which participants perceive themselves as objects based on appearance. Self-compassion was measured with the Short Self-Compassion Scale, assessing participants’ ability to treat themselves kindly in challenging situations. Additional measures assessed body shame, appearance anxiety, depressive symptoms, disordered eating, self-esteem, life satisfaction, sexual dysfunction, and breastfeeding confidence. Two open-ended questions asked participants’ feelings about their body and the stress of motherhood.
Demographic details were also gathered, revealing a sample predominantly composed of White, straight, and married women, with varying educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The study found that higher self-objectification among postpartum women was significantly associated with poorer well-being, including greater body shame, appearance anxiety, depression, and disordered eating, as well as lower self-esteem and life satisfaction. Women with higher self-compassion, however, reported more positive outcomes, such as less body shame and depressive symptoms, and greater life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive experiences of motherhood.
Self-compassion mediated the relationship between self-objectification and these well-being outcomes, suggesting that lower self-compassion partly explains the negative effects of self-objectification. Notably, self-objectification and self-compassion were not significantly linked to sexual dysfunction or breastfeeding confidence.
One limitation is the cross-sectional design of this research, which limits causal interpretations.
Overall, this research highlights the detrimental effects of postpartum self-objectification on well-being and emphasizes self-compassion’s potential as a mitigating factor.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01516-8) Women’s Well-Being Post-Partum: The Role of Self-Objectification and Self-Compassion,” was authored by Becky L. Choma, Stephanie E. Cassin, Vanessa Montemarano, Brigette Piazza, and Ceilidh Harrison.

(https://www.psypost.org/narcissistic-grandiosity-predicts-greater-involvement-in-lgbtq-activism/) Narcissistic grandiosity predicts greater involvement in LGBTQ activism
Dec 22nd 2024, 10:00

The (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-024-03019-9) Archives of Sexual Behavior recently published research that examines the role of dark personality traits in activism. The findings indicate a pattern where narcissistic grandiosity is associated with higher participation in LGBTQ movements, demonstrating that motivations for activism can range widely from genuine altruism to personal image-building.
The researchers were driven to explore these motivations to better understand a concept they proposed: the dark-ego-vehicle principle, a theoretical framework suggesting that some individuals might exploit social activism for self-serving purposes. According to this principle, individuals with “dark” personality traits—such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, or sadism—may engage in activism not to advance its altruistic goals but to satisfy their own self-serving needs. These individuals exploit activism as a “vehicle” to fulfill desires for attention, status, or power.
“The DEVP assumes that individuals with high levels of dark traits may inauthentically and selfishly use prosocial activism to satisfy their own ego-focused dark needs (e.g., the need to signal one’s own moral virtue, a behavior that has been coined virtue signaling),” explained study authors (https://www.edu.unibe.ch/ueber_uns/personen_a___z/educational_psychology_lab_abteilung_paedagogische_psychologie_app/dr_dr_krispenz_ann/index_ger.html) Ann Krispenz, a postdoctoral associate, and (https://www.edu.unibe.ch/ueber_uns/personen_a___z/educational_psychology_lab_abteilung_paedagogische_psychologie_app/prof_dr_bertrams_alexander/index_ger.html) Alex Bertrams, the head of the Educational Psychology Lab at the University of Bern.
“As narcissistic people are particularly keen to gain attention, fame, and prestige, certain forms of activism that are currently prominently covered by the media are likely to be particularly attractive to them. We consider LGBQ and gender-identity activism as forms of activism getting a high level of public attention.”
The researchers carried out two pre-registered studies, each focusing on different aspects of activism and involving distinct participant samples.
Study 1: Narcissistic traits and LGBQ activism
In the first study, the researchers recruited 446 participants from the United States using a research-oriented crowdsourcing platform known as Prolific. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring pathological narcissistic grandiosity, narcissistic vulnerability, altruism, and their level of involvement in activism. These measures also included assessments of participants’ tendencies toward virtue signaling—symbolic displays of morality meant to elicit favorable judgments from others—and social dominance, which involves using coercion or intimidation to gain influence.
The findings showed a significant relationship between higher levels of narcissistic grandiosity and greater involvement in LGBQ activism. Notably, this relationship persisted even when controlling for altruistic motives, suggesting that some individuals engage in activism not solely for prosocial reasons but to satisfy self-serving needs.
The study also revealed that virtue signaling was a key factor linking narcissistic grandiosity to activism. This finding suggests that individuals with high narcissistic tendencies may be drawn to activism as an opportunity to publicly showcase their moral superiority. Contrary to expectations, the researchers found little evidence that dominance played a significant role in the narcissism-activism relationship. These results provided strong initial support for the dark-ego-vehicle principle in the context of LGBQ activism.
“We assumed that people with dark personalities are attracted to activism as it may give them opportunities to domineer others and act out their inclination for aggression, but we did not find evidence for that,” Krispenz and Bertrams told PsyPost. “This came as a surprise to us because (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-024-06575-4) in a previous study we had found correlations between engagement in environmental activism and the tendency to dominate others”
Study 2: Extending findings to gender identity activism
In the second study, the researchers aimed to replicate and extend their findings by focusing specifically on gender identity activism, including advocacy for transgender and nonbinary individuals. For this study, 837 participants from the United Kingdom were recruited using the same crowdsourcing platform.
The results confirmed that narcissistic grandiosity was related to greater involvement in gender identity activism, mirroring the previous findings. Virtue signaling again emerged as a mediating factor, reinforcing the idea that individuals with narcissistic traits may use activism as a platform to display moral superiority. Together, the two studies provided robust evidence for the dark-ego-vehicle principle, particularly in the context of high-visibility social justice movements.
“We interpret these findings such that some individuals will participate in LGBQ and gender-identity activism not for prosocial reasons but to satisfy their own ego-focused needs,”  Krispenz and Bertrams said. “In line with this argument, we also found indications that the respective individuals use their participation in activism to signal their self-accredited grandiose moral superiority and virtue.”
The role of psychopathy
The researchers also examined the role of psychopathic personality traits, but found contrasting results. “In Study 1, we found an association between involvement in LGBQ activism and psychopathy as a dark-personality trait,” the researchers explained. “We related this finding to incidents during pride rallies in different countries where signs, shirts, or shouts and respective social media statements were spotted calling for violence against TERFs (an acronym referring to trans-exclusionary radical feminists that is often used in a derogatory fashion).”
“From the perspective of the DEVP, we propose that such behaviours are indicative of the opportunities that gender-identity activism may give psychopathic individuals who enjoy inflicting harm on others. However, using a different measure of psychopathy, we could not replicate the psychopathy–activism relationship in Study 2.”
Broader implications of the dark-ego-vehicle principle
The researchers said that the findings have practical implications for understanding and evaluating the dynamics of activism.
“We believe that our findings are a reminder for everyone to take a closer look before making a judgment and supporting or rejecting a specific form of prosocial activism,” they explained. “Some manifestations of activism may have less to do with the cause itself and more to do with the personalities of certain actors who come to the fore.”
“In such cases, it is likely that these people are thinking more about their personal gains in terms of money, prestige, attention, or satisfaction in the exploitation of others. Also, they will probably reduce their activistic efforts as soon as the media reports less about the issue and/or the topic evokes fewer reactions on social media. However, behind there are also many individuals who authentically and empathetically work for the activist cause but who are less in the foreground, and could thus be easily overlooked.”
The findings also have practical implications for those involved in activism. While many activists are genuinely altruistic, others may exploit activism as a means to fulfill narcissistic needs, potentially harming the movement’s reputation and effectiveness by prioritizing their own self-interest.
“Sometimes, we see similar behavior in two people, such as participation in activism, but their (hidden) motives can be fundamentally different,” Krispenz and Bertrams told PsyPost. “While one person may perceive a societal problem and be altruistically motivated to support other people, another person may not be empathetic at all and merely see their participation in the activism as a temporary vehicle to satisfy their desire for virtue signaling, etc.”
“This may also explain why we (just like other researchers before us) have found an association between prosocial activism and the tendency to behave altruistically, while we also found the expected relationship between the same kind of activism and self-interested narcissism. These findings suggest that the activism examined here is not narcissistic per se, but carried out by altruistic people who want to achieve the claimed prosocial goals, while at the same time other people may hijack and exploit this activism as a vehicle to satisfy narcissistic needs.
“This creates the risk that narcissistic people publicly behave in a narcissistic fashion but do so in the name of the activism (e.g., by spreading condescending content in the social media), thereby harming the respective form of activism as many may naturally feel repelled by such a mode of expression,” the researchers continued. “Hence, we believe that those who want to protect the rights of the LGBQ community should know about the phenomenon the DEVP proposes.”
“Narcissists may also strive for an influential position in the activist movement, get access to its financial resources and use those resources to satisfy their self-centered needs. Such self-serving behaviors do not only prevent the activist movement from spending these resources for the prosocial cause but may also result in irreparable financial and reputational harm inevitably reducing public support. Therefore, minority groups and their true allies need to be made aware of the narcissistic ‘enemies from within’ so they can take adequate measures to protect the movement.”
The researchers also cautioned against misinterpreting the findings to cast aspersions on minority groups.
“The DEVP does not mean that activism is narcissistic per se, as many people participate in LGBQ activism due to altruistic motives (which we also found in our data),” Krispenz and Bertrams said. “Most importantly, the DEVP does not state that individuals belonging to the respective minority (e.g., members of the LGBQ community) are particularly narcissistic. The assumption is rather that some(!) people involved in activism may actually have narcissistic motives.”
Perceptions of the dark-ego-vehicle principle in academic and activist spaces
Given the sensitive nature of the research, one might anticipate significant backlash, yet the researchers report that the response to the DEVP has been largely positive.
“The reactions are mixed but more positive overall, which somewhat surprised us,” Krispenz and Bertrams said. “Many find the assumptions of the DEVP intuitive and timely. We believe that we have succeeded in communicating in our publications that we are not doing something completely absurd like ‘research against minorities.’ Fortunately, many people seem to be good at differentiating. We do not yet know whether our research has reached the respective activism groups and the people affected and how it will be perceived there. We hope that it will not be misinterpreted as an attack but rather as a helpful gain in knowledge.”
“Rarely, we receive dismissive or supercilious reactions, particularly during the peer- review process. We have also experienced that some do not want to constructively critique but to cancel our research. Nevertheless, we believe that our research is very relevant in the present political climate. To ensure the integrity of our (maybe for some people controversial) research, we pre-register our hypotheses and adhere to the standards of open science. This allows others to reproduce our results and to form their own opinion.”
Limitations and future research directions
The new research contributes to a growing body of research exploring the interplay between personality traits and social activism. One notable strength is the pre-registration of hypotheses and the use of open science practices, such as publishing study materials and raw data, which enhance transparency and reproducibility.
However, the study is not without limitations. A primary constraint is the reliance on self-report measures, which can introduce biases such as social desirability or inaccuracies in self-perception. Additionally, the cross-sectional design of the studies limits the ability to draw causal inferences about the relationship between personality traits and activism involvement. While the researchers accounted for several covariates, unmeasured factors—such as cultural or contextual influences—may also play a role in shaping the observed relationships.
For future research, longitudinal studies could help establish causality and determine whether narcissistic individuals maintain their involvement in activism over time or retreat when public attention diminishes. Expanding the scope of research to include other forms of activism, such as the anti-abortion movement, could test the applicability of the dark-ego-vehicle principle across diverse contexts.
“There still are many open conceptual questions regarding the DEVP: For which kinds of activism is the DEVP (not) valid?” Krispenz and Bertrams said. “Do different forms of activism provide different vehicles for dark personalities due to the specific social norms prevalent in different forms of activism? Which other dark personality factors next to narcissism and psychopathy are relevant for which kind of activism, and why? In addition, an important next step is to empirically investigate the causal assumptions of the DEVP, which we have not yet done.”
“We would invite other researchers to test the validity of our results with their own data. Objectives for future research on the DEVP are to determine variables
moderating the narcissism–activism relationship. We also believe that the DEVP holds independently of any political orientation. To test this assumption, future research should investigate the validity of the DEVP including individuals on both sides of the political spectrum.”
“Apart from prosocial activism, we think that the DEVP is also applicable to political radicalism and extremism on the outwardly different ideological sides,” the researchers added. “Further, we will soon publish a study investigating the DEVP in the context of antisemitism.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-03019-9) Further evidence for the Dark-Ego-Vehicle Principle: Higher pathological narcissistic grandiosity and virtue signaling are related to greater involvement in LGBQ and gender identity activism,” was published December 2, 2024.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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