Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Abstract

Abstract This chapter introduces the construct of narcissism, reviews its evolutionary origins, and explores its relationship with emotions. Narcissism is presented as a personality trait with grandiose and vulnerable expressions, as well as a personality disorder characterized by extreme levels of narcissism combined with impairment. Some discussion surrounds whether grandiose and vulnerable expressions of narcissism should be conceptualized as distinct, stable traits versus oscillating narcissistic states. Evolutionary topics include the heritability of narcissism, the genetic foundations of narcissism, evolutionarily grounded strategies, including mating and survival strategies, that may have facilitated sexual and natural selection of narcissistic traits, as well as critiques of existing theory in this literature. The emotion section focuses on the emotional experiences of narcissists, paying particular attention to how these experiences contrast, depending on whether narcissism is more grandiose or vulnerable. Attempts are made throughout the chapter to identify connections between the conceptual, evolutionary, and emotion literatures.