Examining the Interpersonal Profiles and Nomological Network Associated with Narcissistic Grandiosity and Narcissistic Vulnerability

Abstract

Theory and research have consistently shown that pathological narcissism can best be described by 2 phenotypic expressions, narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. The current study sought to examine the specific types of interpersonal problems reported by those high in narcissistic grandiosity and high in narcissistic vulnerability as well as examine the nomological network associated with these 2 manifestations of narcissism. In a sample of university students who completed self-report measures of pathological narcissism, interpersonal problems, depression, self-esteem, malignant self-regard, self-defeating personality disorder symptoms, and anger, we found that narcissistic grandiosity (<i>n</i> = 108) was associated with one distinct interpersonal profile, for example, being overly intrusive in relationships with others, while narcissistic vulnerability (<i>n</i> = 88) was associated with a wider range of interpersonal problems on the interpersonal circumplex. Using cluster analysis, we found 3 interpersonal subtypes associated with narcissistic vulnerability, an intrusive subtype, a cold subtype, and a socially avoidant subtype. Further examination of group differences showed that the 3 interpersonal subtypes associated with narcissistic vulnerability could also be distinguished based on their experience and expression of anger. This suggests the importance of assessing profiles of interpersonal functioning and anger in narcissistic vulnerability. The clinical implications of our results are discussed.

Can Patients With Narcissistic Personality Disorder Change? A Case Series

“…Clinical reports indicated that patients experiencing pathological narcissism, including NPD, present with such interpersonal problems as intrusiveness, dominance, and vindictiveness (Kealy and Ogrodniczuk, 2011). More specifically, studies show that grandiose narcissism is associated with a triad of admiration seeking, rivalry, and retaliation (Weinberg and Ronningstam, 2022), whereas vulnerable narcissism is associated with patterns of intrusion, coldness, and social avoidance (Cain et al, 2021). Pathological narcissism was found to be negatively associated with attachment security, that is, grandiose narcissism related to dismissive attachment (Biberdzic et al, 2023;Diamond et al, 2014aDiamond et al, , 2014b and vulnerable narcissism to fearful and preoccupied attachment (Biberdzic et al, 2023).…”

Momentary assessment of the relations between narcissistic traits, interpersonal behaviors, and aggression

“…One way in which the heterogeneity has been handled is by decomposing narcissism into two prototypical presentations: grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism (Wink, 1991). Grandiose narcissism is characterized by a domineering, arrogant, entitled, high self‐esteem personality profile, whereas vulnerable narcissism is characterized by an egocentric, sensitive, distrustful, low self‐esteem personality profile (e.g., Cain et al, 2021; Miller et al, 2010). More recent psychometric analyses have shown that the heterogeneous nature of narcissism can be optimally captured using a trifurcated model (Crowe et al, 2019; Krizan & Herlache, 2018; Miller et al, 2016) with three underlying dimensions: agentic extraversion (also called exhibition), interpersonal antagonism (also called entitlement), and narcissistic neuroticism (also called vulnerability).…”

“…Existing literature shows that grandiose narcissism is strongly associated with a cold‐dominant interpersonal profile (e.g., Miller et al, 2011; Pincus et al, 2009). The interpersonal profile associated with vulnerable narcissism is somewhat less distinctive, with broad themes of cold, avoidant, or intrusive interpersonal styles that may vary across different domains of interpersonal functioning or different subgroups (e.g., Cain et al, 2021; Du, Thomas, et al, 2022). Only one study examined the interpersonal profiles of narcissism at the trifurcated level (Du, Thomas, et al, 2022) and this study demonstrated that interpersonal antagonism showed a cold‐dominant theme that is consistent with grandiose narcissism, narcissistic neuroticism showed more diffused profiles with a broad cold‐submissive theme that is consistent with vulnerable narcissism, and agentic extraversion showed a unique profile with a warm‐dominant theme that seems to be mostly adaptive in nature (i.e., high overall interpersonal efficacy).…”