Narcissism and Sociopathy in Serbian society: A review of empirical research of mental health

Abstract

Personality traits associated with narcissism and sociopathy (commonly operationalized through psychopathy and antisocial traits) have received increasing attention in psychological research worldwide. In Serbia, a growing body of empirical studies has examined these traits primarily through the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad frameworks. This article provides a narrative review of available academic research focusing on narcissism and sociopathy-related traits in Serbian populations, with particular attention to their implications for mental health. The review highlights methodological approaches, key findings, and contextual socio-cultural factors, while also identifying significant gaps in epidemiological and clinical research.

Keywords: Narcissism, Sociopathy, Psychopathy, Dark Triad, Mental Health, Serbi

Introduction

Narcissism and sociopathy represent complex personality constructs that occupy a contested space between adaptive traits and psychopathology. Narcissism ranges from subclinical personality features to Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), while sociopathy is commonly conceptualized within the framework of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) or psychopathy (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

In post-socialist societies such as Serbia, rapid social change, economic instability, and prolonged exposure to collective stressors (e.g., war, sanctions, and transition-related uncertainty) have prompted interest in how maladaptive personality traits manifest within the population. Serbian psychological research has increasingly addressed these traits, particularly through dimensional models such as the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad.

Orthodox Fundamentalism, Chetnik Ideology, and Collective Narcissism in Serbian Society

Background

Chetnik ideology originates from Serbian nationalist movements of the early 20th century and was revitalized during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. Contemporary neo-Chetnik movements combine ethno-nationalism, historical revisionism, Orthodox religious symbolism, and irredentist claims, particularly toward territories associated with Albanians (Kosovo), Bosniaks (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Croats (Croatia).

While not representative of Serbian society as a whole, these movements remain visible in political discourse, commemorative practices, and extremist subcultures (Bieber, 2018).

Collective Narcissism and Ethno-Nationalism

Recent social-psychological research distinguishes individual narcissism from collective narcissism, defined as an inflated belief in the greatness of one’s in-group coupled with hypersensitivity to perceived threats or insults (Golec de Zavala et al., 2009).

Studies conducted in the Western Balkans suggest that Serbian ethno-nationalist narratives frequently reflect collective narcissistic patterns:

• Idealization of the Serbian nation as historically heroic and victimized
• Externalization of blame onto ethnic out-groups
• Hostility toward reconciliation initiatives and minority rights

Collective narcissism has been empirically linked to:

• Intergroup hostility
• Support for political violence
• Reduced empathy toward ethnic out-groups
  (Golec de Zavala et al., 2016)

Racism, Dehumanization, and Sociopathy-Related Traits

Ethnic hostility toward Albanians, Bosniaks, and Croats in extremist Serbian discourse often involves dehumanizing language, conspiracy narratives, and moral disengagement. These features overlap conceptually with callous-unemotional traits and subclinical psychopathy, particularly at the group level.

While no Serbian studies directly diagnose sociopathy within extremist groups, research on political extremism indicates that:

• Individuals high in psychopathy and narcissism are overrepresented in radical nationalist movements
• Dark Triad traits predict endorsement of authoritarianism and ethnic exclusion
  (Forsyth et al., 2020; Hodson et al., 2009)

Serbian studies on the Dark Tetrad have shown that psychopathy and narcissism are associated with reduced empathy and increased aggression, especially under perceived threat—conditions frequently invoked in nationalist rhetoric (Međedović & Petrović, 2022).

Irredentism, Trauma, and Post-Conflict Identity

Irredentist attitudes toward Kosovo, Republika Srpska, and parts of Croatia persist in segments of Serbian society and are often justified through historical trauma narratives. Psychological research on post-conflict societies suggests that unresolved collective trauma can facilitate:

• Authoritarian attitudes
• Rigid in-group/out-group boundaries
• Endorsement of violence as moral restitution
  (Volkan, 2001)

In Serbia, war memory, NATO bombing (1999), and perceived international injustice have been shown to reinforce grievance-based identities, which may interact with narcissistic and antisocial traits to sustain extremist worldviews (Subotić, 2019).

Implications

From a mental health perspective, extremist ideologies are not mental disorders per se. However, empirical research suggests that maladaptive personality traits, emotional dysregulation, and identity fragility increase vulnerability to radicalization.

In Serbian samples, Dark Triad traits correlate with:

• Psychological distress
• Hostility
• Poor emotional regulation
  (Kostić et al., 2021)

These traits may be amplified in ideological environments that reward aggression, dominance, and moral absolutism.

Discussion

The intersection of narcissism, sociopathy-related traits, and ethno-nationalist extremism in Serbian society illustrates how individual psychopathological traits can scale up into collective ideological phenomena. Chetnik-inspired nationalism exemplifies how collective narcissism, when combined with historical grievance and political instrumentalization, may contribute to persistent interethnic hostility and psychological harm—both within and between groups.

War Crimes, Perpetrator Psychology, and Narcissistic–Antisocial Dynamics in the Serbian Context

Legal and Historical Context

International and domestic courts have established that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide were committed by individuals and organized groups associated with Serbian political and military structures during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted numerous Serbian political leaders, military officers, and paramilitary commanders for atrocities committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo, including ethnic cleansing, mass atrocities, forced displacement, sexual violence, and genocide (ICTY, 2017).

It is crucial to emphasize that criminal responsibility is individual, not collective. However, social-psychological analysis remains necessary to understand how such crimes became possible and were socially legitimized.

Personality Traits and War Crime Perpetration

Research in perpetrator psychology consistently shows that war crimes are not committed exclusively by clinically disordered individuals. Nonetheless, certain personality traits are disproportionately represented among perpetrators and facilitators of mass violence:

• Narcissistic grandiosity and entitlement
• Callous-unemotional traits
• Moral disengagement
• Reduced empathy
• Authoritarian aggression

These traits overlap significantly with subclinical psychopathy and malignant narcissism (Baumeister et al., 1996; Miller et al., 2011).

Although Serbian-specific clinical profiling of convicted war criminals is limited, comparative research on genocide perpetrators (e.g., Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Bosnia) suggests that leaders and paramilitary commanders often display elevated narcissistic and antisocial traits, while lower-level perpetrators act under coercion, conformity, or ideological pressure (Waller, 2007).

Paramilitarism, Chetnik Symbolism, and Sociopathy

Serbian paramilitary formations such as Arkan’s Tigers and various Chetnik-aligned units operated with weak institutional control and strong ideological reinforcement. These environments fostered:

• Reward structures for violence
• Dehumanization of ethnic out-groups
• Group norms suppressing empathy
• Celebration of cruelty as patriotism

Psychological research indicates that such conditions amplify latent antisocial traits, particularly among individuals high in psychopathy or narcissistic dominance (Zimbardo, 2007).

Notably, Serbian post-war glorification of convicted war criminals through murals, public gatherings, and media narratives may reinforce collective moral disengagement, normalizing antisocial behavior and undermining mental health at the societal level.

Denial, Heroization, and Collective Narcissism

One of the most distinctive features of the Serbian post-conflict context is the persistent denial or relativization of war crimes, including the genocide in Srebrenica, despite international legal judgments.

Collective narcissism theory provides a robust explanatory framework:

• In-group greatness is perceived as unquestionable
• Acknowledgment of crimes is experienced as an existential threat
• Perpetrators are reframed as heroes or martyrs
• Victims are delegitimized or blamed

Empirical studies show that collective narcissism predicts:

• Hostility toward out-groups
• Rejection of historical responsibility
• Support for violent political rhetoric
  (Golec de Zavala et al., 2019)

In Serbia, these mechanisms have been documented in public discourse, education, and political messaging (Subotić, 2019; Bieber, 2018).

Mental Health Consequences

The societal handling of war crimes has significant mental health implications:

• For victims and survivors: prolonged trauma, PTSD, intergenerational transmission of suffering.
• For perpetrators: high rates of PTSD, substance abuse, emotional numbing, and antisocial behavior.
• For society: normalization of aggression, distrust, and impaired reconciliation.

Studies of Balkan veterans indicate elevated psychological distress, particularly among individuals with pre-existing antisocial traits (Kovačević et al., 2014). Failure to confront crimes openly has been linked to collective psychological stagnation, reinforcing grievance-based identities and extremist ideologies.

Synthesis: From Individual Pathology to Societal Harm

The case of Serbian war crimes illustrates how individual narcissistic and sociopathic traits, when embedded in authoritarian structures, nationalist ideology, and collective narcissism, can culminate in large-scale human rights violations. While most individuals do not possess pathological traits, systems that reward dominance, dehumanization, and denial enable those traits to exert disproportionate influence.

From a mental health and prevention perspective, confronting historical crimes is not merely a moral imperative but a psychological necessity for reducing future violence.

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