biostudies-literatureUnknown14(1)Zemojtel-Piotrowska MA theoretical perspective on grandiose narcissism suggests four forms of it (sanctity, admiration, heroism, rivalry) and states that these forms conduce to different ways of thinking and acting. Guided by this perspective, we examined in a multinational and multicultural study (61 countries; N = 15,039) how narcissism forms are linked to cognitions and behaviors prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, differences in cognitions and behaviors across narcissism forms emerged. For example, higher narcissistic rivalry predicted lower likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors, but higher narcissistic sanctity predicted higher likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Further, whereas the heroism, admiration, and rivalry narcissism forms acted in a typicallyScientific reports17503https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11289121biostudies-literatureGrandiose narcissism, unfounded beliefs, and behavioral reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic.PMC11289121Wlodarczyk ASkowronski JJZemojtel-Piotrowska MLifshin UAhmed OKnezovic ETiliouine HVally ZKoralov MGouveia VVJovanovic VRamos-Diaz JSedikides CCounted VOzsoy EKlicperova-Baker MTra KTTGundolf KVauclair CMChaleeraktrakoon TTorres-Marin JHaretche CBaltatescu Sde Leon PPCowden RGAruta JJBPark JArdi RJukic DPMilfont TLMangafic JMamuti AMaltby JZand SRidic GMoon CStarc ABochaver KMuehlbacher Sde Clunie GBundhoo HYIlisko DNajafi RWills-Herrera EPiotrowski JLiik KChobthamkit PRiđic OYahiiaiev IAdamovic MAtitsogbe KAKogler CJia FAppiah SCYEldesoki WLMFernandez ALJonason PKKhachatryan NSamekin ADragova-Koleva SBabakr ZHBolatov AAl-Shawaf LKovacs MBaldursson EBMalik SUmeh CSJukic THamouda STomsik RBonato MEsteves CSStefenel DMalysheva KAzam UKretchner MJeong EHKSpoto ASolcova IPMalik NISawicki AKamble SVfalseGrandiose narcissism, unfounded beliefs, and behavioral reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic.A theoretical perspective on grandiose narcissism suggests four forms of it (sanctity, admiration, heroism, rivalry) and states that these forms conduce to different ways of thinking and acting. Guided by this perspective, we examined in a multinational and multicultural study (61 countries; N = 15,039) how narcissism forms are linked to cognitions and behaviors prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, differences in cognitions and behaviors across narcissism forms emerged. For example, higher narcissistic rivalry predicted lower likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors, but higher narcissistic sanctity predicted higher likelihood of enactment of COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Further, whereas the heroism, admiration, and rivalry narcissism forms acted in a typically2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jul2026-03-16T05:41:59.159Z2025-08-14T03:06:12.683ZS-EPMC112891213908030210.1038/s41598-024-67954-2