Narcissistic processes: optimistic expectations, favorable self-evaluations, and self-enhancing attributions

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• Self-enhancement, the tendency to view oneself favorably, is a common human trait.
• Narcissism, characterized by grandiosity and a need for admiration, may influence self-enhancement strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between narcissism and three distinct forms of self-enhancement.
• To explore how narcissistic traits manifest in academic and performance-based self-perceptions.
• To examine the social implications of narcissism-related self-enhancement.

Main Methods:

• Three studies were conducted using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) to measure narcissism.
• Participants' grade predictions and actual grades were compared (Study 1).
• Participants' estimated and actual course grades were assessed (Study 2).
• Performance expectations, attributions, gratitude, and liking were measured in a laboratory task (Study 3).

Main Results:

• Narcissism positively correlated with predicting better course grades but not with actual grades received.
• High narcissists overestimated their course grades, while low narcissists underestimated them.
• Narcissism was linked to optimistic performance expectations and self-attributions for success, but not to derogating others.
• Narcissism was associated with reduced gratitude and liking.

Conclusions:

• Narcissism is associated with various forms of self-enhancement, particularly in performance predictions and self-attributions.
• The findings suggest self-aggrandizement as a key mechanism in narcissism-related self-enhancement.
• Narcissism impacts social functioning, potentially through diminished gratitude and liking.