Puffed-Up But Shaky Selves: State Self-Esteem Level and Variability in Narcissists

Autoren

Katharina Geukes
Steffen Nestler
Roos Hutteman
Michael Dufner
Albrecht CP Küfner
Boris Egloff
Jaap JA Denissen
Mitja D Back

DOI

10.1037/pspp0000093

eISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

5

Zeitschrift

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Sprache

en

Online publication date

2017

Paginierung

769 - 786

Status

Published online

Herausgeber

American Psychological Association (APA)

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000093

Datum der Datenerfassung

2024

Titel

Puffed-up but shaky selves: State self-esteem level and variability in narcissists.

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

112

Datenquelle: Crossref

Abstract

Different theoretical conceptualizations characterize grandiose narcissists by high, yet fragile self-esteem. Empirical evidence, however, has been inconsistent, particularly regarding the relationship between narcissism and self-esteem fragility (i.e., self-esteem variability). Here, we aim at unraveling this inconsistency by disentangling the effects of two theoretically distinct facets of narcissism (i.e., admiration and rivalry) on the two aspects of state self-esteem (i.e., level and variability). We report on data from a laboratory-based and two field-based studies (total N = 596) in realistic social contexts, capturing momentary, daily, and weekly fluctuations of state self-esteem. To estimate unbiased effects of narcissism on the level and variability of self-esteem within one model, we applied mixed-effects location scale models. Results of the three studies and their meta-analytical integration indicated that narcissism is positively linked to self-esteem level and variability. When distinguishing between admiration and rivalry, however, an important dissociation was identified: Admiration was related to high (and rather stable) levels of state self-esteem, whereas rivalry was related to (rather low and) fragile self-esteem. Analyses on underlying processes suggest that effects of rivalry on self-esteem variability are based on stronger decreases in self-esteem from one assessment to the next, particularly after a perceived lack of social inclusion. The revealed differentiated effects of admiration and rivalry explain why the analysis of narcissism as a unitary concept has led to the inconsistent past findings and provide deeper insights into the intrapersonal dynamics of grandiose narcissism governing state self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record

Addresses

Department of Psychology, University of Münster.

Autoren

Katharina Geukes
Steffen Nestler
Roos Hutteman
Michael Dufner
Albrecht CP Küfner
Boris Egloff
Jaap JA Denissen
Mitja D Back

DOI

10.1037/pspp0000093

eISSN

1939-1315

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 27854443

Funding acknowledgements

German Research Foundation: 3731/6-1

Open access

false

ISSN

0022-3514

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

5

Zeitschrift

Journal of personality and social psychology

Schlüsselwörter

Humans
Self Concept
Concept Formation
Narcissism
Adult
Female
Male
Young Adult

Sprache

eng

Medium

Print-Electronic

Online publication date

2016

Paginierung

769 - 786

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2017

Status

Published

Datum der Datenerfassung

2016

Titel

Puffed-up but shaky selves: State self-esteem level and variability in narcissists.

Sub types

Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

112

Datenquelle: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

Different theoretical conceptualizations characterize grandiose narcissists by high, yet fragile self-esteem. Empirical evidence, however, has been inconsistent, particularly regarding the relationship between narcissism and self-esteem fragility (i.e., self-esteem variability). Here, we aim at unraveling this inconsistency by disentangling the effects of two theoretically distinct facets of narcissism (i.e., admiration and rivalry) on the two aspects of state self-esteem (i.e., level and variability). We report on data from a laboratory-based and two field-based studies (total N = 596) in realistic social contexts, capturing momentary, daily, and weekly fluctuations of state self-esteem. To estimate unbiased effects of narcissism on the level and variability of self-esteem within one model, we applied mixed-effects location scale models. Results of the three studies and their meta-analytical integration indicated that narcissism is positively linked to self-esteem level and variability. When distinguishing between admiration and rivalry, however, an important dissociation was identified: Admiration was related to high (and rather stable) levels of state self-esteem, whereas rivalry was related to (rather low and) fragile self-esteem. Analyses on underlying processes suggest that effects of rivalry on self-esteem variability are based on stronger decreases in self-esteem from one assessment to the next, particularly after a perceived lack of social inclusion. The revealed differentiated effects of admiration and rivalry explain why the analysis of narcissism as a unitary concept has led to the inconsistent past findings and provide deeper insights into the intrapersonal dynamics of grandiose narcissism governing state self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record

Autoren

Katharina Geukes
Steffen Nestler
Roos Hutteman
Michael Dufner
Albrecht CP Küfner
Boris Egloff
Jaap JA Denissen
Mitja D Back

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27854443

DOI

10.1037/pspp0000093

eISSN

1939-1315

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

5

Zeitschrift

J Pers Soc Psychol

Schlüsselwörter

Adult
Concept Formation
Female
Humans
Male
Narcissism
Self Concept
Young Adult

Sprache

eng

Country

United States

Paginierung

769 - 786

PII

2016-55335-001

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2017

Status

Published

Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde

2018

Titel

Puffed-up but shaky selves: State self-esteem level and variability in narcissists.

Sub types

Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

112

Datenquelle: PubMed

Puffed-Up But Shaky Selves: State Self-Esteem Level and Variability in Narcissists

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