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We all know a narcissist—or think we do. But is narcissism just about ego, or something more complex?
From high-stakes teamwork in escape rooms to everyday relationships, this event explores how narcissism shapes the way we cooperate, compete, and connect. Are some narcissists better teammates than others? And can people high in narcissism actually feel empathy?
Join us for two talks that challenge the stereotypes and reveal what psychology really says about “difficult” personalities.
From high-stakes teamwork in escape rooms to everyday relationships, this event explores how narcissism shapes the way we cooperate, compete, and connect. Are some narcissists better teammates than others? And can people high in narcissism actually feel empathy?
Join us for two talks that challenge the stereotypes and reveal what psychology really says about “difficult” personalities.
60 minutes to escape: studying teamwork under pressure
Reece Bush-Evans
(Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Bournemouth University)
Imagine squeezing a team of strangers into an escape room and watching how they behave under pressure...
In this talk, you'll learn how Dr Reece Bush-Evans and colleagues turned escape rooms into living psychology labs to uncover what really happens to teamwork under pressure. We all know the word 'narcissism' - but what does it really mean? And is it always a bad thing?
Dr Reece Bush-Evans will reveal why psychologists now think there are different 'flavours' of narcissism - from the bold and charming spotlight-seeker to the fiercely competitive rival - and why those differences might matter more than you think in team settings. By studying real people racing against the clock, this research explores who steps up, who steps on toes, and how personality shapes cooperation, conflict, and group success. Does confidence help a team win? Can too much ego derail collective problem solving? When the pressure's on, who actually thrives?
In this talk, you'll learn how Dr Reece Bush-Evans and colleagues turned escape rooms into living psychology labs to uncover what really happens to teamwork under pressure. We all know the word 'narcissism' - but what does it really mean? And is it always a bad thing?
Dr Reece Bush-Evans will reveal why psychologists now think there are different 'flavours' of narcissism - from the bold and charming spotlight-seeker to the fiercely competitive rival - and why those differences might matter more than you think in team settings. By studying real people racing against the clock, this research explores who steps up, who steps on toes, and how personality shapes cooperation, conflict, and group success. Does confidence help a team win? Can too much ego derail collective problem solving? When the pressure's on, who actually thrives?
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels
The art of dealing with 'difficult people': narcissism and empathy
Claire Hart
(Associate Professor of Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Southampton)
Narcissism is often used as a label for “difficult people”, but what does it really mean, and what is it actually like to be around someone high in narcissism?
In this talk, Dr Claire Hart explores the science of narcissism, focusing on the interpersonal difficulties they experience with friends, colleagues, romantic partners, and family members, which are linked to a lack of social glue: empathy. You’ll learn how psychologists understand different forms of narcissism, why empathy plays a central role in their relationship challenges, and what research reveals about whether narcissistic individuals are capable of being empathic.
Drawing on real psychological studies, including research measuring both emotional responses and physiological reactions, this talk offers insights into how empathy works, the consequences of reduced empathy in narcissism, and whether it is possible to encourage more empathic responses.
In this talk, Dr Claire Hart explores the science of narcissism, focusing on the interpersonal difficulties they experience with friends, colleagues, romantic partners, and family members, which are linked to a lack of social glue: empathy. You’ll learn how psychologists understand different forms of narcissism, why empathy plays a central role in their relationship challenges, and what research reveals about whether narcissistic individuals are capable of being empathic.
Drawing on real psychological studies, including research measuring both emotional responses and physiological reactions, this talk offers insights into how empathy works, the consequences of reduced empathy in narcissism, and whether it is possible to encourage more empathic responses.
Image by Olle August on Pixabay
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
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