Narcissism is driven by insecurity, says study

MIRROR LIGHTS

Ever thought about what motivates narcissism? It is driven by insecurity and not an inflated sense of self, finds a new study.

The findings suggest that genuine narcissists are insecure and are best described by the vulnerable narcissism subtype, whereas grandiose narcissism might be better understood as a manifestation of psychopathy.

“More specifically, the results suggest that narcissism is better understood as a compensatory adaptation to overcome and cover up low self-worth,” said lead author Mary Kowalchyk from the New York University.

“Narcissists are insecure, and they cope with these insecurities by flexing. This makes others like them less in the long run, thus further aggravating their insecurities, which then leads to a vicious cycle of flexing behaviours,” Kowalchyk added.

For the study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the team surveyed nearly 300 participants. They examined Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), conceptualised as excessive self-love and consisting of two subtypes, known as grandiose and vulnerable narcissism.

A related affliction, psychopathy, is also characterized by a grandiose sense of self. They sought to refine the understanding of how these conditions relate.