The Role of Narcissism on Concerns for SNS Privacy: Vulnerable Narcissism in Threatening Situations

This study aims to identify psychological factors that predict one\u27s likelihood to disengage with privacy-threatening activities on Social Networking Sites (SNS). Particularly, it pays special attention to the concept of narcissism and its impact on one\u27s response to SNS privacy-threatening situations. By evaluating narcissism in two different ways --- grandiose and vulnerable --- the study attempts to provide a better understanding of the role of narcissism in SNS usage and concerns over privacy issues. Study I shows that vulnerable narcissism has a significant influence on consumers\u27 likelihood of disengaging with privacy-threatening activities on SNS while grandiose narcissism has no influence. Self-esteem, computer anxiety, and concern for information privacy also have significant influence on consumers\u27 responses to privacy-threatening events on SNS. Study II further suggests that when people experience interpersonal rejection threats on SNS, the effect of vulnerable narcissism on one\u27s intention to disengage with privacy-threatening activity is largely attenuated. The findings from two studies offer insight into the psychological process by which narcissism influences privacy concerns over SNS in both macro and micro levels