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What does the narcissistic personality inventory really measure?
Robert A Ackerman1, Edward A Witt, M Brent Donnellan
1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. ackerm64@msu.edu
Assessment
|September 30, 2010
Summary
This study clarifies the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) structure, identifying three factors: Leadership/Authority, Grandiose Exhibitionism, and Entitlement/Exploitativeness. Different factors link to adaptive or maladaptive outcomes, suggesting nuanced analysis.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Assessment
Background:
- The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) is a key measure for narcissism.
- Its precise factor structure remains debated, with models ranging from two to seven factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the factor structure of the NPI.
- To explore the NPI's nomological network and its relation to psychological and behavioral outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Four empirical studies were conducted to analyze the NPI's structure.
- Statistical analyses were employed to determine the best-fitting factor model.
Main Results:
- A three-factor model emerged as the most robust solution.
- The factors identified were Leadership/Authority, Grandiose Exhibitionism, and Entitlement/Exploitativeness.
- Leadership/Authority correlated with adaptive outcomes, while Grandiose Exhibitionism and Entitlement/Exploitativeness linked to maladaptive outcomes.
Conclusions:
- The NPI's structure is best represented by three distinct facets.
- Examining outcomes at the facet level provides a more nuanced understanding of narcissism.
- A hierarchical model and scoring scheme are proposed for the NPI.
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