Thesis (DPsych) -- School of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, 2006. / Submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, School of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (p. 233-244).

abstract: Envy may be an emotion shaped by evolution to resolve large resource disparities in zero-sum ancestral environments. Previous research has found evidence for two types of envy: benign envy, which drives greater effort and self-improvement; and malicious envy, which drives hostility toward the better-off target. We predicted that perceived resource scarcity would stoke either type, moderated by individual differences. Specifically, we predicted that high self-esteem would steer people toward benign envy and self-improvement, whereas narcissism would spark malicious envy. After completing the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and the Narcissism Personality Inventory (NPI-16), participants were randomly assigned to either read an article detailing severe cuts to university financial aid budgets (scarcity) or an article summarizing various forms of financial aid (control). Each article ended with the same envy-inducing paragraph about a particularly affluent scholarship-winner, after which participants completed a measure of both envy types, capturing feelings, appraisals, and behavioral tendencies. Results show that self-esteem predicts less malicious envy, while narcissism and scarcity predict more. Self-esteem and narcissism interact such that self-esteem dampens the effect of narcissism on malicious envy. Self-esteem predicted benign envy when narcissism was low, but not when it was high. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Psychology 2011

Drawing on the choice and self-referent processing literatures, we hypothesized that the act of making consumer choices will augment narcissism, because it directs attention to the self (i.e., increases selfreferencing). Results of three experiments provided support for the proposed path from choice to narcissism via self-referencing (indirect effect), but not for the path from choice to narcissism (total effect). This pattern, first reported in Experiment 1, held only for agentic choices (e.g., products for personal use), which prompt thoughts about the self, and not for communal choices (e.g., charitable organizations), which prompt thoughts about others (Experiment 2). Also, this pattern generalized across agentic choices of public and private products (Experiment 3). We consider theoretical and practical implications.

This study explores the potential implications of narcissism in the way that Counselling Psychologists relate to themselves and their clients. Narcissism is understood as a situation that affects negatively one’s self-knowledge and ability to engage with others. This research examines therapists’ narcissism as it may manifest in their therapeutic practice and in relation to their ability to be aware of and use effectively the interpersonal dynamics of the therapeutic relationship. The researcher also explores how her own narcissism might appear in her relationships with others and her clients. The investigator chose a heuristic qualitative method as she thought that its focus on intrapersonal and interpersonal processes would help bring to light hidden dimensions of therapists’ narcissism in their practice as they were being reflected in the relationship between the therapists and the researcher. An interest in phenomenology and especially in aspects of dialogue and intersubjectivity, as well as the researcher’s commitment to constructionist epistemology shaped the way the methodology and method were implemented. The sample consisted of nine Counselling Psychologists, who participated in open-ended semi-structured interviews. The selection was based on their interest in the subject. The data collection arose from continuous interactions between participant and researcher as a result of the on-going relationship. The research design followed Moustakas’ (1990) phases of heuristic inquiry: initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication and creative synthesis. The data were analysed through self-dialogue as well as the interaction between the researcher and the co-researchers. Drawing on hermeneutics helped the researcher unpack complex meanings about the participants’ experience of the phenomenon. The findings of this research suggest that narcissism manifests as a false, superior persona that serves to cover feelings of insignificance stemming from the early frustration of the individual’s needs for love and attention. Practitioners’ narcissistic needs often appear in their clinical work. Male therapists tend to ask for validation and mirroring from their clients and female therapists tend to deny their needs for admiration and approval behind a selfless facade. Nevertheless, both functions can be found in the same person. Narcissistic needs and vulnerabilities are frequently dissociated, denied and projected onto others, as their acknowledgement possibly causes a great amount of shame. By being open to their narcissism and their hidden needs for love and approval practitioners seem to become more able to reflect and relate openly to themselves and their clients. This increased ability can be associated with what Symington (1993) calls a “reversal” of narcissism. This research suggests that through acknowledging their narcissism and reflecting on their deep and hidden emotions practitioners can more easily engage in an honest and mutual exploration with their clients, which can help them to reach a greater knowledge about themselves. The researcher also found that her own narcissistic vulnerabilities, if unacknowledged can stop her from engaging openly and freely in the relationship with clients. The importance of looking at the therapists’ emotional baggage and commitment to achieve greater interpersonal growth, which is important to the field of Counselling Psychology, is emphasised in this study. Future researchers are encouraged to look at the clients’ perceptions of therapists’ ability to acknowledge their narcissistic vulnerabilities in order to attain a wider knowledge about the phenomenon.

Four studies were conducted with the aim of developing a measure of narcissism that, unlike previous measures, is not inherently pathological. In Study 1, the NPI—the closest approximation to such a measure—was administered to a large-scale sample. Two separate Principal Component Analyses (PCAs) failed to replicate its reported structure, and revealed further psychometric problems. Use of an alternative item format (Likert ratings) was shown to yield much higher reliabilities than the original forced-choice format. Using the Likert item-format, the Profile of Narcissistic Dispositions (POND) was developed in Study 2. The items were based on a comprehensive analysis of the literature on "normal" narcissism. Five reliable subscales emerged from an oblique factor analysis. All five loaded substantially on the first unrotated principal component. The relationship of the POND to established self-report measures was also explored. In Study 3, the POND's structure was replicated and empirical relations were expanded: In particular, the POND showed negative correlations with various self-reports of psychopathology. In Study 4, the POND was shown to predict peer ratings of narcissism. Further peer-ratings elaborated the character of normal narcissism, that is, an interpersonal style that is marked by a dominant and secure but disagreeable social presence. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

The goals of the dissertation studies were to allow for psychologists and educators to better understand the relationship between non-clinical narcissism and creativity, and to develop two promising creativity measures. The results confirmed the hypothesis that there would be a positive, moderate correlation between non-clinical narcissism and creativity. Consequently, this could allow for researchers to more fully understand the components of creativity, and support the need for creativity measures to better account for non-clinical narcissism. Two measures were introduced to consider creativity in terms of feelings and thoughts, and non-clinical narcissism attributes of past creative individuals. The Creativity Attributes List (CAL) and the Creative Individual Assessment (CIA) differ from previously established creativity measurements, which use the current impressions of the achievements of contemporary people as their criterion. There were 147 participants in a study that examined the two measures and the relationship between non-clinical narcissism and creativity. Additionally, the experimenter attempted to increase short-term creativity by exposing participants to photographs of paintings with unconventional shape designs that depict both the mindsets and art of creative persons; albeit, the results did not indicate a significant difference in the movement of creativity scores for either the experimental or control group. The double-blind experiment with 80 participants was conducted independently from the aforementioned studies. The Appendices include three papers that were based on the data collected from the psychometric studies and experiment. They were submitted to refereed psychology journals. The first paper pertains to emotional arousal and creativity, the second paper pertains to sleep deprivation in graduate school students, and the third paper explores variables that have a significant relationship with creativity in graduate students. There are graphs and tables in the Appendices that explain the MANOVA and correlation results of the CIA attributes that had a significant relationship to either the Khatena Torrance - Creative Perception Inventory Something About Myself measurement (KTCPI-SAM) and/or the Khatena - Morse Multitalent Perception Inventory Creative Imagination scale (KMMPI - CI). Additionally, tables in the Appendices present the results of multiple regression analyses performed on selected attributes from the CAL assessment and factor analyses of the measurements introduced in the studies.

A number of clinicians have reported that narcissists show grandiosity in self-concept, and rage after receiving disconfirming feedback. This is the first empirical study to test these claims. Subjects with differing levels of narcissism and self-esteem were compared on distortion in self-perception and emotional reaction to negative feedback. Ninety-six college students predicted their levels of intelligence, attractiveness, and interpersonal understanding (empathy) as compared to their peers. Objective measures of these characteristics were obtained, and subjects' predictions, with their actual scores held constant, provided measures of reality distortion in selfperception. Subjects were given feedback comparing their predictions to objective measures at the end of the experiment, and reaction to feedback was assessed by comparing subjects' pre- and post-feedback scores on the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist-Revised (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1985). Narcissists were expected to react to negative feedback with greater hostility than nonnarcissists. Narcissists evidenced significant distortion in perceptions of their own intelligence, attractiveness, and interpersonal understanding. This finding provided empirical evidence supporting the clinical phenomenon of grandiosity. Narcissists did not react with greater hostility after negative feedback, but as compared to nonnarcissists, they did react with less depression following negative feedback. This supported Kernberg's (1980) assertion that narcissists do not react to loss with depression. In contrast to the inflated self-image associated with narcissism, self-esteem was associated with a comparatively accurate view of self.

Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka förekomsten av symtom till muskeldysmorfi (MD), dess tre subkategorier; drivkrafter för fysisk storlek (DFS), utseendeintolerans (AI) och nedsatt funktionsförmåga (FI) i relation till grad av narcissistiska personlighetsdrag och självkänsla. Vidare undersöktes skillnader avseende dessa faktorer och subkategorierna av MD mellan tävlande och icke-tävlande individer. Slutligen undersöktes dessa variabler, träningsmängd, styrketräning samt om tävlande individer kan predicera förekomst av MD. I studien deltog 174 individer, 123 kvinnor och 51 män, via webbenkät. Av dessa 13 styrketränade och varav dessa 17 tävlande. Resultatet visade signifikanta positiva samband mellan DFS, träningsmängd och självkänsla samt mellan FI, träningsmängd, självkänsla och narcissism. Negativa samband visades mellan AI, FI och självkänsla. Vidare fanns skillnader mellan DFS, FI, självkänsla samt narcissism mellan tävlande och icke-tävlande individer. Regressionsanalysen visade att narcissistiska personlighetsdrag och global självkänsla förklarade 21 % av variansen av förekomst av symtom till MD. Sammanfattningsvis indikerade studiens resultat att narcissistiska personlighetsdrag och självkänsla kan vara viktiga psykologiska faktorer för ökad förståelse till förekomsten av MD. Framtida studier är förslagsvis att utöka de psykologiska faktorerna samt fysisk aktivitet i relation till MD inom den ökade gymkulturen och tävlande som bedöms för utseende under längre tid.

Narcissism is a multidimensional construct consisting of many components and a variety of conceptualizations. One such example is the NARC conceptualization of grandiose narcissism and its two subcomponents admiration and rivalry. This research aims to answer three questions about the NARC conceptualization: (1) what is the relationship between narcissism and Big Six Personality dimensions?; (2) what is the relationship between narcissism and observable behavior?; and (3) how does narcissism relate to situational experiences in daily life? Results showed that, consistent with previous research, narcissism was related to Big Six personality. Additionally, narcissism was related to observable behavior. Finally, the results also showed a relationship between narcissism and every day experience (i.e., situation experiences and state expressions of personality). Most critically, the pattern of results suggests that although admiration and rivalry are related subcomponents of narcissism, they are quite distinct in terms of their personality and behavioral correlates. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Narcissism has been identified as a threat to society and the individual. Individuals with high levels of narcissism (narcissistic personality disorder) struggle to maintain jobs, stable relationships, and healthy life perspectives. Without knowledge about the origins of narcissism, mental health professionals may only be treating the symptoms of narcissism and not the factors that perpetuate its development. The purpose of this study was to measure narcissism in farming and law careers and to determine whether career is a factor in the development of narcissism. It was predicted that career would be an important developmental event and process that would have the ability to influence character traits (such as narcissism) through self-presentation, a process in symbolic interaction theory. To date, there has been no research on type of career as a factor in the development of narcissism. A cross-sectional design and 2-way independent analysis of covariance was used to compare narcissism in farming (N = 46) and law careers (N = 267) at the beginning and middle of individuals' careers, as well as after 10 years of experience. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in narcissism between farmers and lawyers. Further, there was no significant difference in narcissism levels at the different stages of a law or farming career. Thus, career may not be a factor in the development of narcissism, and future research, theory development, treatment design, and cultural considerations may be best served by focusing on other phenomena to explain narcissism's effect in adulthood.