Narcissistic behaviors would be the result of a feeling of insecurity more than a feeling of high self-esteem.
- Narcissism appears as a defense to overcome and cover low self-esteem.
- Narcissists have a strong need for social validation and place great importance on making a good first impression.
Narcissists, who appear to be very sure of themselves, are actually hiding a great deal of insecurity. “For a long time, it was unclear why narcissists engaged in unpleasant behaviors, such as self-congratulations.says Pascal Wallisch, associate clinical professor in the department of psychology at New York University and co-lead author of a new study on the subject published on March 12 in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. Our work reveals that narcissists are rather insecure, and it is by engaging in excessive self-loving behavior that they seem to cope with their insecurities..”
Gain a sense of power and confidence
Narcissism appears as a defense to overcome and cover low self-esteem. This refers to vulnerable narcissism, unlike grandiose narcissism which corresponds to an excess of ego. To avoid giving way to his own doubts, the narcissist prefers to comfort himself in a feeling of power and assurance that allows him to overestimate himself. “Narcissists are insecure and they deal with these insecurities by overselling themselvescontinues Mary Kowalchyk, co-lead author of the article. This causes them to be less liked by others, further aggravating their insecurities, which leads to a vicious cycle.” The researchers describe four elements that characterize narcissism based on the survey responses: the need to make a good first impression, to have social validation, to show high self-esteem and to adopt a social dominant attitude.
The researchers conducted a survey of 300 volunteers with a median age of 20 who answered a total of 151 questions. They looked at narcissistic personality disorder. The results showed that narcissistic people have a strong need for social validation, a sign of a feeling of insecurity in relation to what others may think. They also show a greater need to make a good first impression when meeting new people.
Being narcissistic is good for your health
Narcissism is not necessarily bad. In a study published in the European Psychiatry, Irish researchers analyzed the effects of grandiose narcissism on mental health. It would allow to have a greater psychological solidity and would reduce the risk of suffering from depression. For people categorized as vulnerable narcissists, these findings are not verified. In the second study, published in Personality and Individual Differencesscientists find that grandiose narcissism also protects against stress.
