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Investigating how self-esteem moderates grandiose narcissism's interpersonal orientation
Kyle Richardson1, William Hart1, Charlotte Kinrade1
1Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
Journal of Personality
|December 16, 2020
Summary
Grandiose narcissism and self-esteem interact in interpersonal contexts. As self-esteem declines, narcissism becomes less communal and more agentic, leading to interpersonal issues.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Previous research often viewed grandiose narcissism and self-esteem as independent predictors.
- Theoretical perspectives suggest a potential interaction between grandiose narcissism and self-esteem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and test an interactional framework for grandiose narcissism and self-esteem.
- To examine these constructs within the interpersonal circumplex framework.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 598 participants on grandiose narcissism, self-esteem, and interpersonal characteristics.
- Utilized measures of interpersonal efficacies, values, problems, and sensitivities.
Main Results:
- Lower self-esteem amplified negative associations between narcissism and communal aspects.
- Lower self-esteem also amplified positive associations between narcissism and agentic aspects.
- Interactions revealed shifts in communal vs. agentic orientations as self-esteem decreased.
Conclusions:
- Interaction models better explain grandiose narcissism and self-esteem in interpersonal settings.
- Decreasing self-esteem intensifies the communal deficits and agentic tendencies of narcissism.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay of narcissism and self-esteem in social interactions.
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