narcissism + personality

ego psychology

focused on the development of the ego within reality, emphasized the role of identity which is experienced by a person as a sense of self

identity crisis

desperation, anxiety and confusion a person feels when he or she has not developed a strong sense of identity

* midlife crisis often begins with identity crisis

psychosocial development

Erikson focused on ego development over life, identified common/necessary tensions inherent to each stage of development

psychosocial conflicts

believed that crises were of a SOCIAL nature, different from Freud’s sexual nature

infancy (0-2)

trust vs mistrust

* trust that they can be taken care of, receive love
* negative outcomes: dependent or paranoid

toddlerhood (2-3)

autonomy vs shame & doubt

* where child develops self-confidence and sense of autonomy
* negative outcomes: obsessive/impulsive or avoidant

young childhood (3-4)

initiative (purpose) vs guilt

* imitating adults, learning to take initiative and have ambitions
* negative outcomes: antisocial/narcissistic or constricted

elementary school (4-12)

industry vs inferiority

* learning to compare w others, success vs failure experiences

adolescence (13-19)

identity vs role confusion

* experimentation to “find myself”
* negative: no solid sense of self, unstable relationships and goals

identity foreclosure

forms identity without exploring alternatives (can happen with strict parents)

moratorium

time taken to explore options before making a commitment to an identity

young adulthood (20-39)

intimacy vs isolation

* a need to develop satisfying and intimate relationships (ie. making commitment through marriage)

adulthood (40-64)

generatively vs stagnation

* whether or not a person has generated something they really care about in life

old age (65+)

integrity vs despair

* process of withdrawing form life, “was it all worth it?”, finding satisfaction in life

narcissism

an extreme preoccupation with the self, accompanied by inflated self-admiration, grandiosity, entitlement, and attention-seeking

narcissistic personality disorder

a pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy

contemporary research → narcissism

* may use more first-person pronouns
* look in the mirror more, watch recordings of themselves more
* interrupt others more often during conversation
* become distressed and aggressive when insulted
* make good first impressions
* are more active on social media, post more about accomplishments, post more selfies

inferiority complex

lack of self-worth resulting from early development; low self-esteem

* overcompensate through “striving for superiority” → making others unhappy, foundation for narcissism

narcissistic paradox

although narcissists appear to have high self-esteem, they have doubts over their self-worth

* therefore, narcissism is a complex defence mechanism! “self-loathing in disguise”

grandiose narcissism

high self-esteem, social dominance, exhibitionism, overestimation of abilities, fantasies abt superiority/perfection and omnipotence

* correlated with high extroversion, low agreeableness, aggressiveness

vulnerable narcissism

anxiety, defensiveness, avoidance, insecurity, hypersensitivity and vulnerability, vigilance for criticism

* correlated with high neuroticism, low extraversion, low agreeableness

Miller et al. narcissism

three-factor structure of narcissism:

* agentic extraversion, antagonism, and neuroticism

Krizan & Herlache narcissism

narcissism as entitled self-importance

Kowalchyk et al. narcissism

genuine narcissism involves deep insecurities and is more similar to vulnerable narcissism, while grandiose narcissism is more similar to psychopathy

contemporary research on narcissism

* has been associated with success in areas such as…
* show business, leadership, job interviews, initial interactions
* but narcissists lose popularity over time

object relations theory

examines the process of developing one’s psyche in relation to others in the environment

* precursor to attachment theory!
* internalized representations of parents (unconscious) become the basis for relating to others in life

attachment theory (Bowlby)

infants must develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for successful development

* main factors in parenting are sensitivity and responsiveness

secure childhood attachment

well-adjusted, trusting → caregiver is responsive to needs

anxious-ambivalent childhood attachment

anxious, clingy → caregivers inconsistent

avoidant childhood attachment

uninterested, emotionally distant → caregivers neglectful

disorganized childhood attachment

erratic → caregivers depressed, traumatized or abusive

* correlated with antisocial tendencies in adulthood

secure adult attachment

comfortable w/ intimacy → autonomous & dependent

preoccupied (ambivalent) adult attachment

crave intimacy → worried abt partners

dismissive-avoidant adult attachment

minimize closeness → intimacy = loss of independence

fearful-avoidant adult attachment

want relationship, but difficulty trusting others

parenting styles associated with narcissism

* neglectful → results in a lack of empathy and warmth
* authoritarian → insists on perfection, winning and toughness
* permissive/indulgent → promote entitled attitudes