Most people dislike being dismissed or overlooked, but when you snub someone who scores high on narcissism, the consequences can be uniquely unpleasant.

Narcissistic individuals, who often have an inflated sense of self-importance and fragile self-esteem, react differently to social rejection than others do, and their responses are sometimes indirect and damaging.

For example, if someone unintentionally leaves out a friend from a group text, the slight may be forgiven quickly. However, a narcissist, who perceives the same slight as a deep affront, might respond not with direct confrontation but with passive aggression.

Instead of expressing fury plainly, they could spread humiliating information about the person who ignored them, thereby exacting a more subtle form of revenge.

Research conducted by Daniel Waldeck and colleagues at Coventry University reveals that narcissists are particularly likely to resort to indirect attacks when they feel ostracized, whether the rejection is real or imagined.

According to the threatened egotism model, the fragile self-worth that underlies narcissistic personality makes any form of exclusion feel like a serious insult.

Because of this vulnerability, these individuals may find covert retaliation more gratifying than outright anger.

If you care about someone with narcissistic tendencies, it is often better to address harmful behaviors openly instead of trying to placate them through flattery.

When a narcissist's indirect aggression has already caused harm, explaining calmly how their actions affected you can sometimes help them learn socially acceptable coping strategies.