Digital narcissism: Psychoanalytic mechanisms of personality manifestation in social media and their impact on psychological well-being

Abstract

Rapid digitalisation has changed modes of self-expression and interaction, creating conditions for the manifestation and study of narcissistic traits within social media. Although narcissism has been studied in traditional social contexts, its manifestations in the digital environment remain a focal point of psychological research, posing new theoretical and practical challenges. This study aimed to analyse the psychoanalytic mechanisms that determine narcissistic manifestations in social media, as well as to explore how different types of narcissism evolve and adapt in the digital space. Through the lens of classical psychoanalytic theory, including Freud’s structural model of the psyche and Jung’s analytical psychology, this article examined social media platforms as modern “agents of socialisation” that influence the formation of users’ subjectivity. Particular attention was paid to the role of platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube in creating specific forms of interaction that contribute to the narcissistic processes. The results indicated a significant transformation of narcissistic traits in the digital space, characterised by the phenomenon of “digital narcissistic adaptation”. It has been demonstrated that social networks function as powerful psychological mechanisms that not only reflect but also actively reinforce narcissistic tendencies through their technological structures and interaction patterns. A significant relationship between the intensive use of social media, narcissistic personality traits, and stress levels has emerged, indicating the formation of specific compensatory mechanisms in the digital environment. This study confirmed that social media create unique conditions for the development of both healthy and pathological forms of narcissism. While a significant number of users report enhanced creative abilities, substantial risks exist regarding dependency on social approval and compulsive online activity. The findings have important practical implications for clinical psychology in the formulation of therapeutic protocols for patients exhibiting narcissistic personality traits; for media psychology in the advancement of theoretical models of digital behaviour; for digital ethics in the establishment of normative principles governing social platforms; and for education in the development of media literacy programmes that integrate the psychodynamic aspects of user interaction with digital environments

Keywords

• psychoanalysis
• identity formation
• personality development
• visual self-presentation
• narcissistic trauma
• visual content
• self-concept