PSYX 340 Psychological Disorders · Unit 3: Psychosis, personality and childhood · on Exam 3
3.3 Narcissism
Study notes for Narcissism in PSYX 340 Psychological Disorders at Montana State University: the big ideas, a worked example, common mistakes and an exam tip. The same topic has endless practice questions and flashcards in StudyCat.
Big ideas
- This is a lecture topic, so the lecture notes come first. Narcissism ranges from a normal personality trait (measured, for example, by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory) to narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), a Cluster B disorder.
- NPD needs 5 or more of 9 features, starting by early adulthood: grandiosity, fantasies of unlimited success or power, believing one is special, needing excessive admiration, entitlement, exploiting others, lacking empathy, envy (or believing others envy one) and arrogance.
- Researchers distinguish grandiose narcissism (bold, dominant, attention-seeking) from vulnerable narcissism (defensive, easily hurt, secretly grandiose, prone to shame and anxiety).
- Explanations: psychodynamic accounts of cold parenting or over-praise (Kohut, Kernberg), cognitive-behavioral ideas of learned overvaluation, and sociocultural claims about individualistic cultures. Evidence for rising narcissism across generations is debated.
- People with NPD rarely seek treatment for narcissism itself; they come for depression or relationship problems. Therapy is difficult and the evidence is limited; therapists work on empathy, realistic self-appraisal and the distress behind the grandiosity.
Worked example
A coworker constantly talks about his genius, is furious when not given special treatment, takes credit for others’ work and shows no concern when colleagues are upset. Which personality disorder and cluster fit best?
Show the solution
Narcissistic personality disorder, a Cluster B (dramatic, emotional, erratic) disorder: grandiosity, entitlement, exploitation and lack of empathy are four of the nine features; a diagnosis would need at least five and a long-standing pattern.
Common mistakes
- Diagnosing NPD from confidence alone. It requires a pervasive, long-standing pattern with five or more features.
- Assuming every narcissist is outwardly grandiose. The vulnerable type looks insecure.
- Placing NPD in Cluster A. It is Cluster B.
Exam tipKnow the difference between trait narcissism and the disorder, and the grandiose vs vulnerable distinction; both come from the lecture.
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