What type of personality has no problem seeking to steal your spouse?

Monday, April 15, 2024.

Ah, narcissists and their uncanny knack for poaching partners…it’s like some kind of twisted dating game.

According to research, these self-absorbed charmers are the MVPs of infidelity.

So, what makes a narcissist tick?

Picture someone who's as selfish as a toddler with a toy, as arrogant as a peacock on parade, and as outgoing as a politician at a fundraiser. Yup, that's the grandiose narcissist in a nutshell.

But here's the kicker: they genuinely believe they're the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas, the whole darn menagerie rolled into one. And that sense of self-importance? It's like Kevlar for their conscience, making them shamelessly swipe partners with all the guilt of a cat stealing a mouse from a trap.

Dr. Amy Brunell, the brains behind the study, explains that narcissists aren't picky about relationship statuses. To them, it's all fair game. Single, taken, it's like they're playing relationship roulette without a care in the world.

How the study was conducted

In a survey of 247 young adults (because who knows relationships better than the Snapchat generation?), it was found that narcissists have a magnetic pull toward those already spoken for. Talk about going where the grass is supposed to be off-limits.

But here's the twist: it's not about targeting attached folks specifically. Nope, narcissists are equal opportunity heartbreakers, showing about as much concern for relationship statuses as a toddler does for bedtime.

Now, let's not forget our other contenders in the infidelity Olympics: psychopaths and the emotionally unstable.

Psychopaths are like the James Bonds of the dating world—spontaneous, manipulative, and about as reliable as a weather forecast in April.

Meanwhile, emotional instability is the hallmark of those who couldn't organize a sock drawer if their life depended on it.

Dr. Brunell wraps it up nicely, reminding us that understanding narcissists is key to navigating the murky waters of human relationships. After all, knowing who's likely to swipe left on your heart can save you from a world of hurt.

So there you have it, gentle reader. The narcissist: breaking hearts and taking names since who-knows-when.

Just another day in the wild world of love and betrayal.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.

RESEARCH:

Brunell, A. B., Robison, J., Deems, N. P., & Okdie, B. M. (2018). Are narcissists more attracted to people in relationships than to people not in relationships? PLOS ONE, 13(3), e0194106. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194106