The joke is on us? National narcissism and dispositions towards laughter

Past work showed that in social interactions laughter may be perceived in both a positive and a negative way. In the present research, we use dispositions towards ridicule and being laughed at (PhoPhiKat-9), to check how laughing at members of different nationalities is associated with the way individuals feel about their national group. Across two Studies (N = 633 and N = 1504), we show that national narcissism (but not national identification) is positively and significantly related to national gelotophobia (the fear that others may be laughing at our nation) and national katagelasticism (the joy of laughing at other nations). Moreover, we also demonstrate that dispositions towards ridicule and being laughed at mediated the path between national narcissism and metadehumanization, a conviction that out-group members perceived fellow in-group members as less than fully human. •We analyzed dispositions towards ridicule and laughter at our own and other nations.•National narcissism is linked to national gelotophobia.•National narcissism is related to national katagelasticism.•Results of the association between national narcissism and gelotophilia were mixed.•National PhoPhiKat-9 mediate between national narcissism and metadehumanization.