The "Stela Effect" of bright and dark narcissism on educational innovation in higher education: exploratory psychometric validation

Abstract

In higher education, where we investigate emotional competencies, we displayed 1045 questionnaires, 817 of which were ultimately processed, with 779 students and 38 teachers from 9 architectural and engineering schools in Spain. We designed the Empathic Survey by asking teachers how they considered their students had answered to the questions. Thirty-eight variables were employed: 32 first-generation variables (22 operationalized emotion items and 10 sociodemographic items), 4 s-generation variables, and 2 third-generation variables. The second- and third-generation variables were inferred. We conducted an initial psychometric validation focused on reliability and internal structure. The results of the statistical analyses revealed several items with p-values less than 0.001. The values depict a sigmoidal shape whose interpretation fits with the literature about bright and dark narcissism. The Stela Effect name comes from the fact that it explains the behavior of students fascinated by teachers with narcissistic traits as if they were attracted to a comet tail. To contrast its meaning and coherence, as it is a graphic representation without antecedents, we present its correlations in various areas of knowledge and disciplines, such as Theory of Mind (ToM), Attachment, the Unconscious, Self-esteem, Dissociation, Shame, Empathy, Teaching, different aspects and approaches to Narcissism (continuous and dual) and its measurement, and the field of Contradictions. At the same time, we discuss its meaning from biases and different schools of psychological thought. We consider the Stela Effect the operationalization of a dual and dynamic model of narcissism sustained by several authors, and it helps us to understand many contradictions around narcissistic behavior. We conclude the presentation of the study in its current state with a practical implication: as an educational innovation, we propose using the Stela Effect framework as a pedagogical enhancement. Specifically, we outline a six-phase intervention protocol designed to help individuals develop awareness of their maladaptive tendencies and work through them, thereby transitioning toward more collaborative and effective modes of functioning.