Multidimensional perfectionism and narcissism: Grandiose or vulnerable?

Abstract

Multidimensional perfectionism is related to grandiose narcissism, with other-oriented perfectionism showing the strongest, most consistent relationships. The relationships with vulnerable narcissism, however, are unclear. Our study investigated how three forms of perfectionism-self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism oriented perfectionism appears to represent a form of perfectionism predominantly related to narcissistic grandiosity, whereas socially prescribed perfectionism is predominantly related to narcissistic vulnerability. As the first study to examine perfectionism in relation to narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability, our research both extends and clarifies the nomological network of the perfectionism construct in important ways.

Perfectionism, personality, and future-directed thinking: Further insights from revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory

“…First, other-oriented perfectionism also showed a positive relation with defensive fight which is in line with previous finding that other-oriented perfectionism is associated with antagonistic and antisocial personality traits (Stoeber, 2014a(Stoeber, , 2014b(Stoeber, , 2015. Second, otheroriented perfectionism is also associated with grandiose narcissism (Stoeber, Sherry, & Nealis, 2015). Consequently, other-oriented perfectionists' expectations that-in the next two weeksmany positive events (and few negative events) will happen to them may not be a realistic expectation, but a reflection of narcissistic grandiosity and entitlement.…”

Perfectionism and Personality

“…This suggests that other-oriented perfectionists may not only be greedy (like self-oriented perfectionists), but generally manifest a deficit in honesty/sincerity and humility/modesty, which dovetails with studies linking other-oriented perfectionism to callousness and narcissistic grandiosity (Smith et al, in press;Stoeber, 2015;Stoeber, Sherry, & Nealis, 2015). Also, socially prescribed perfectionism showed a unique negative relationship with the domain score and modesty, but-differently from the other perfectionism dimensions-also showed a unique negative relationship with fairness.…”

Perfectionism in students and positive career planning attitudes

“…If the positive relationship that other-oriented perfectionism showed with perceived knowledge should be interpreted in the same way, however, is unclear. Because other-oriented perfectionism is associated with grandiose narcissism (Stoeber, 2014;Stoeber, Sherry, & Nealis, 2015), the positive relationships could also reflect an inflated sense of the self and a "know-it-all" attitude that may be dysfunctional.…”