Two broad forms
Grandiose narcissism involves confidence, dominance and attention-seeking. Vulnerable narcissism involves hypersensitivity, defensiveness and a fragile self-image. The two share antagonistic features such as entitlement, but they differ greatly in their associations with neuroticism and self-esteem.
Understanding the dynamics
A widely cited self-regulatory model suggests narcissistic people use their social relationships to sustain a positive self-view, which may undermine those same relationships. Another approach separates narcissistic admiration, which involves self-promotion, from rivalry, which involves devaluing others. Narcissism often makes a good first impression that fades with longer acquaintance.
Cautions
Questionnaires such as the Narcissistic Personality Inventory are widely used, but researchers debate which traits they actually capture. Claims of an epidemic of narcissism among younger generations remain disputed. The term is often used loosely in everyday speech, and labelling a person from a distance is neither accurate nor fair.
Further reading
- Raskin, R. N., & Hall, C. S. (1979). A narcissistic personality inventory. Psychological Reports, 45, 590.
- Morf, C. C., & Rhodewalt, F. (2001). Unraveling the paradoxes of narcissism: A dynamic self-regulatory processing model. Psychological Inquiry, 12, 177-196.
- Back, M. D., et al. (2013). Narcissistic admiration and rivalry: Disentangling the bright and dark sides of narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 1013-1037.