PSYC1004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Psychopathy Checklist, Social Learning Theory, Abner Jenkins
Lecture 3: Dark Triad
24 October 2017
11:18
Narcissism
Men are more narcissistic
oMaybe due to socialisation factors
Introduced to psychology in 1898 by Ellis
oPeople directed their sexual energy toward themselves
Freuds 1914 essay "on narcissism :an introduction"
oLibido that has been withdrawn from the external world and directed to the ego and
thus give rise to an attitude which may be called narcissism
After freud
oWidely used among psychodynamic theorists, but also among personality and social
psychologists
oKohut and Kornberg
Wrote a book
Many theorists and researchers have argued that narcissism is becoming
increasingly prominent
Conceptual Confusion
oDefined in many different ways by different people
The term was used for:
“vanity, conceit, craving for prestige and admiration, a desire to be
loved in connection with an incapacity to love others, withdrawal from
others, normal self-esteem, ideals, creative desires, anxious concern about
health, appearance, intellectual faculties” (Horney)
oNarcissism is:
“an unmanageably diverse and amorphous construct and, therefore, a
highly problematic empirical entity” (Bradlee & Emmons)
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
oA pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behaviour), need for admiration,
and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts,
as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
Has a grandiose sense of self-importance
Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance,
beauty, or ideal love
Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood
by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
Requires excessive admiration
Has a sense of entitlement (i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially
favourable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations)
Is interpersonally exploitative
Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognise or identify with the feelings and
needs of others
Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
Shows arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes
Two Kinds of Narcissism
oCertain theorists tend to disagree and argue that there are two main kinds of
narcissism:
Thick-skinned vs. thin-skinned narcissists
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Oblivious narcissist vs. hypervigilant narcissists
Exhibitionistic vs. closet narcissist
Overt vs. covert narcissist
Grandiose vs. vulnerable narcissist
Wink (1991)
oAim
To investigate whether overt/grandiose and covert/vulnerable narcissism
are distinct constructs
oParticipants
350 US participants (including 76 married couples)
oProcedure
Participants completed 6 different Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI) narcissism scales and numerous other personality scales
76 male participants and 76 female participants were also rated by their
spouses
oResults
2 Factors:
Overt/grandiose narcissism
Covert/vulnerable narcissism
What causes narcissism
oKohut
Neglected children
Children valued in order to foster parental self-esteem
Extension of parental narcissism
Fixation at an early stage of normal development during which children hold
grandiose self-imaged
Abnormal development
oKernberg
Pathological development
Feelings of emptiness
Grandiose self - defence mechanism
Convinces the person that he or she could satisfy all their needs without
depending on others
Normal development
oMillion - social learning theory
Parental overvaluation
When a child is perceived to be special, unique and extraordinary
Cannot be maintained in real life
A grandiose self-image, which cannot be sustained
Other negative narcissistic characteristic
Huxley and Bizumic (2017), The Journal of Psychology
oAim
To investigate the influence of parental invalidation (in addition to other
parenting factors, such as overprotection, coldness, and rejection) on the
development of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism
“an invalidating environment is one in which communication of
private experiences is met by erratic, inappropriate, and extreme
responses... the expression of private experiences is not validated; instead,
it is often punished and/or trivialized” (Linehan, 1993, p. 49).
oParticipants
442 Australian adults who were raised by their biological father and mother
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Men are more narcissistic: maybe due to socialisation factors. Introduced to psychology in 1898 by ellis o. Freuds 1914 essay "on narcissism :an introduction" o. Libido that has been withdrawn from the external world and directed to the ego and thus give rise to an attitude which may be called narcissism. After freud: widely used among psychodynamic theorists, but also among personality and social psychologists o. Many theorists and researchers have argued that narcissism is becoming increasingly prominent. Conceptual confusion: defined in many different ways by different people. Vanity, conceit, craving for prestige and admiration, a desire to be loved in connection with an incapacity to love others, withdrawal from others, normal self-esteem, ideals, creative desires, anxious concern about health, appearance, intellectual faculties (horney: narcissism is: An unmanageably diverse and amorphous construct and, therefore, a highly problematic empirical entity (bradlee & emmons) Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
