What Do Narcissists Know About Themselves? Exploring the Bright Spots and Blind Spots of Narcissists’ Self-Knowledge

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-92171-6_29

Paper

What Do Narcissists Know About Themselves? Exploring the Bright Spots and Blind Spots of Narcissists’ Self-Knowledge

Published 2018 · Erika N. Carlson, Reem Khafagy

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Abstract

How do narcissists perceive themselves and their effect on other people? This chapter explores if and when narcissists’ self-perceptions and beliefs about their reputation are accurate. While narcissists tend to describe themselves in overly positive ways on some attributes, skills, and abilities, they also admit to being narcissistic, realize that other people experience them in less positive ways, and know that they lose the social status they crave over time. However, these insights are overshadowed by the fact that they seem to think that their darker attributes are character strengths that get them ahead. For example, while they admit to being narcissistic and realize that their popularity and status wanes over time, narcissists think that being arrogant, condescending, and hostile get them ahead. Thus, their blind spot might not be a failure to understand what they are like but rather how their personality undermines their goals. Implications for how narcissists might overcome the barriers to self-knowledge are discussed.

Study Snapshot

Narcissists tend to overestimate their positive attributes and underestimate their negative traits, but their blind spot may be understanding how their personality undermines their goals.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Paper

What Do Narcissists Know About Themselves? Exploring the Bright Spots and Blind Spots of Narcissists’ Self-Knowledge

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