Interestingly, the answer is yes. :hmm:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-barry-kaufman/do-narcissists-know-they-_b_840894.html
QuoteDo Narcissists Know They Are Narcissists?
Posted: 04/ 3/11 11:54 AM ET
Think of your friendly neighborhood narcissist: status-seeking, grandiose, loud-mouthed, brash and flamboyant. Have you ever noticed how he brags all the time, not only about his astronomical I.Q. and bulging pectoral muscles, but also about the fact that he is narcissistic? It's as if he is proud of it.
Lots of psychologists have theorized that a lack of self-awareness is a hallmark trait of narcissists. My personal experience with narcissists does not seem to support this. It seems to me as though they are not only aware of who they are, but also embrace it.
Luckily, I don't have to rely on personal anecdotes. To get to the bottom of this age-old mystery, Erika Carlson and her colleagues at Washington University in St. Louis conducted three very well-done studies to see whether narcissists have insight into their personality and their reputation. The results will soon be published in the prestigious Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
The researchers administered a number of different measures of narcissism to college students and looked at how high-scorers are seen by others, how they see themselves and how they believe they are seen by others. They looked across social contexts and interviewed new acquaintances as well as friends and family. There results across the three studies are strikingly consistent.
Unsurprisingly, they found that narcissists think they are hot stuff. Those scoring high in narcissism tended to rate themselves as more intelligent, physically attractive, likeable and funny than others. Interestingly, they also rated themselves as having higher levels of negative aspects of narcissism, such as being power-oriented, impulsive, arrogant and prone to exaggerate their abilities! Therefore, narcissists are aware they are narcissists.
There was also a strong positive correlation between narcissism and having a reputation for narcissism: narcissists were definitely perceived as narcissists. While other people didn't think the narcissists were nearly as hot as the narcissists thought they were, the narcissists were well aware of their reputation. When asked how others perceive them on the positive traits, their results were closer to how they were actually perceived than their own self-perceptions of the very same traits.
These results suggest that narcissists do indeed have self-awareness of themselves and know their reputation. This raises the question: how can narcissists maintain their inflated self-image even though they know full well how they are perceived by others? The researchers suggest a few intriguing possibilities.
Perhaps narcissists assume that others are just failing to realize how bitchin' they really are. They may think that people are just too dim to recognize their brilliance. Another possibility is that narcissists may think critics are just envious of them. Narcissists may take negative feedback and think to themselves, "Those haters are just jealous!"
This may explain why narcissists behave in arrogant ways. Instead of compensating for some deep-seated insecurity, bragging may be their way of demanding the recognition they truly believe they deserve. Narcissists score up the wazoo in entitlement. As the researchers note, this idea is consistent with self-verification theory: "Narcissists believe that they are exceptional people and may behave in arrogant ways because they are attempting to bridge the gap between their self perceptions and their meta-perceptions."
The researchers also suggest it's possible that narcissists maintain their self-image by misconstruing the meaning of narcissism. When told they are arrogant, instead of thinking they are "someone who is confident without merit," they may take it as a compliment, thinking to themselves, "Well, duh I'm arrogant, if by that you mean 'deservedly confident!'" As the researchers note, "Narcissists seem to choose honest arrogance when describing themselves and their reputation."
The results of this study as well as prior studies suggest that narcissists do care more about being perceived as superior on agentic traits (e.g., industriousness, assertiveness, dominance) compared to communal traits (e.g., agreeableness and honesty). Narcissists don't seem to care whether they are perceived as good people; they'd rather be admired than liked. So perhaps the narcissists in their study construed supposedly negative aspects of narcissism (e.g., arrogance) as desirable.
Of course, it's also possible that narcissists are fully aware of the meaning of narcissism and the negative impact they have on others, but just don't care as long as it doesn't get in the way of their goals.
The researchers also found that new acquaintances viewed narcissists more positively than well acquainted others. Those who just met the narcissists did tend to have a favorable impression of the narcissists, whereas those who knew the narcissists much longer tended to have a much more negative impression of the narcissists.
Again, the narcissists in their sample were fully aware of this! The results suggest that narcissists understand that they make positive first impressions that deteriorate over time. These results are consistent with prior research that has shown that narcissists have trouble forming long-term relationships. Narcissists tend to think they are "too good" for most people and are always seeking "better" relationship alternatives.
The results are also consistent with research showing that narcissists are masters at first impressions. As researchers have suggested, the narcissist's success at creating initial attraction may make short-term contexts more rewarding for them than longer-term contexts: "It is possible that narcissists discontinue relationships early on because they cannot bridge the gap between their positive self-perceptions and relatively negative meta-perceptions."
Practical Implications
It's well known that narcissists rarely change, mostly because they don't want to change. They love their lifestyle. Researchers trying to reform narcissists have noted that a major impediment is their lack of self-awareness. They have speculated that if narcissists received true feedback, they would change. The study by Carlson and colleagues suggests that this is not the case. Narcissists are fully aware that they are narcissistic and have a narcissistic reputation.
Instead, the researchers suggest that a better intervention would be to "emphasize the interpersonal and intrapsychic costs of being seen as narcissistic by others." Narcissists are unlikely to change unless they think changing will benefit the things they desire, such as status and power.
Are You a Narcissist?
Many of you are probably reading this and wondering whether you are a narcissist. An implication of the results I just reviewed is that if you are a narcissist, you probably already know it!
In reality, all of us are at least a little bit narcissistic. In the studies just reviewed, the researchers administered a narcissistic questionnaire to college students. Even though they found that the students scored all across the spectrum, it's not as if there was anyone who was completely non-narcissistic. All of us, throughout our day, ebb and flow in and out of the narcissistic mindset.
Glad that guy never got paid for that uh d'uh article.
I wonder if there is any evolutionary advantage of being narcissistic :hmm:
I've known a couple of folks who I think are truly narcissistic, and while I don't know that they think of themselves literally in that term, I'm quite sure they think they are "badass" and better than everyone else. One exception would be the CEO of the medical center I worked at in Boston; I actually heard him say once that he was a narcissist, but that it was a good thing for both him and the medical center because it gave him "supreme confidence to usually make the right call". :lol:
Quote from: Caliga on April 07, 2011, 06:36:32 AM
I've known a couple of folks who I think are truly narcissistic, and while I don't know that they think of themselves literally in that term, I'm quite sure they think they are "badass" and better than everyone else. One exception would be the CEO of the medical center I worked at in Boston; I actually heard him say once that he was a narcissist, but that it was a good thing for both him and the medical center because it gave him "supreme confidence to usually make the right call". :lol:
Senior management showing signs of delusion, surely not.
In his case, the right call consisted of creating bullshit, high-paying positions for his mistress and moving her to another one when she inevitably screwed up the one she was in and pissed everyone around her off. :)
This doesn't jive with my experience. I'm a narcissist, and I don't know it.
I'm not a narcissist.
Well I think true Narcissists don't use the term because of the negative connotation, but that doesn't mean they aren't aware that they are more awesome than everyone else.
Are you really a narcissist if you really are more awesome than everyone else?
Hmm. I have often wondered if I'm a narcissist, but I concluded that since I am wondering, it's likely I'm not.
Could it be that I am after all?
Quote from: Martinus on April 07, 2011, 03:11:04 PM
Hmm. I have often wondered if I'm a narcissist, but I concluded that since I am wondering, it's likely I'm not.
Could it be that I am after all?
If you have five "I"s in one sentence, you should probably stop wondering if you are a narcissist.
My feeling is that whether or not one wonders if one is narcissistic has no bearing on whether or not one actually is narcissistic.
Well, I tend to make good first impressions but usually get bored/annoyed by people in the long term. I have been called more than once a "charming asshole" by my friends and acquittances. I have short temper and get very vexed by things like people wasting my time or service personnel not doing their jobs properly. I like to be a center of attention and react badly to criticism. I have also noticed I can be manipulative when needed, and I like gossiping. I sometimes tend to embellish stories about my life to make them sound more awesome. I think I'm liked by most people. :hmm:
On second thought, maybe I'm just gay. :P
Quote from: Martinus on April 07, 2011, 03:11:04 PM
Hmm. I have often wondered if I'm a narcissist, but I concluded that since I am wondering, it's likely I'm not.
Could it be that I am after all?
Well, usually a narcissist has their sense of overblown self-importance based on some kind of actual importance or competence. As such, we can safely rule you out as a narcissist.
Quote from: Martinus on April 07, 2011, 03:19:20 PM
I think I'm liked by most people.
Languish must be dieing. Nobody made a quip about this. :(
Quote from: Martinus on April 07, 2011, 03:19:20 PM
I like to be a center of attention and react badly to criticism.
There is a shocker. An attention whoring fruit.
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 07, 2011, 06:07:03 PM
Quote from: Martinus on April 07, 2011, 03:19:20 PM
I like to be a center of attention and react badly to criticism.
There is a shocker. An attention whoring fruit.
I just want people to leave me the fuck alone.
I do notice that narcissists seem to have a better than average chance of making senior management.
Define narcissistsim.
Quote from: Siege on April 07, 2011, 08:52:18 PM
Define narcissistsim.
The narcissist is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity. [2] Narcissistic personality disorder is closely linked to self-centeredness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder
Ah, that.
I really dislike people like that.
Quote from: Siege on April 07, 2011, 08:55:58 PM
Ah, that.
I really dislike people like that.
Me too. BUT
They expect others to do the day-to-day chores as they feel too important to waste their time on common things.
They very rarely talk about their inner life - for example their memories and dreams.
There tends to be a higher level of stress with people who work with or interact with a narcissist, which in turn increases absenteeism and staff turnover.
They feel that rules at work don't apply to them.
Their sense of self-importance and lack of empathy means that they will often interrupt the conversation of others.
They get impatient and restless when the topic of conversation is about someone else, and not about them.
They constantly use "I", "me" and "my" when they talk.
If you share the workload with them, expect to do the lion's share yourself.
They lack empathy and this colours everything they do.
They love to delegate work, and then interfere by micromanaging it. If it goes well they take the credit (plagiarism); if it goes badly, they blame the person they delegated it to.
Blame others for their actions and misfortunes.
During a conversation, no matter what topic is being discussed, they usually end up talking about themselves.
They will always cheat whenever they think they will get away with it.
Virtually all their ideas or ways of behaving in a given situation are taken from others (mirroring).[21]
After going through the above list, I think I am sometimes guilty as well :blush:
What if you're a self-centered person with low self-image? :hmm:
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 07, 2011, 10:35:09 PM
What if you're a self-centered person with low self-image? :hmm:
That's histrionic. I often think I have this disorder (in a mild form, mind you, not the full blown one that makes you unable to function), not the narcissistic one.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 07, 2011, 09:01:25 PM
Quote from: Siege on April 07, 2011, 08:55:58 PM
Ah, that.
I really dislike people like that.
Me too. BUT
They expect others to do the day-to-day chores as they feel too important to waste their time on common things.
They very rarely talk about their inner life - for example their memories and dreams.
There tends to be a higher level of stress with people who work with or interact with a narcissist, which in turn increases absenteeism and staff turnover.
They feel that rules at work don't apply to them.
Their sense of self-importance and lack of empathy means that they will often interrupt the conversation of others.
They get impatient and restless when the topic of conversation is about someone else, and not about them.
They constantly use "I", "me" and "my" when they talk.
If you share the workload with them, expect to do the lion's share yourself.
They lack empathy and this colours everything they do.
They love to delegate work, and then interfere by micromanaging it. If it goes well they take the credit (plagiarism); if it goes badly, they blame the person they delegated it to.
Blame others for their actions and misfortunes.
During a conversation, no matter what topic is being discussed, they usually end up talking about themselves.
They will always cheat whenever they think they will get away with it.
Virtually all their ideas or ways of behaving in a given situation are taken from others (mirroring).[21]
After going through the above list, I think I am sometimes guilty as well :blush:
I don't think I'm really guilty of the part about pushing work to people instead of doing it myself (I'm too much of a perfectionist so prefer to do it myself so it is done right :P), but other than that this is fucking spot on for me. :blush:
Example of the behaviour which I think is narcissistic: recently, I had to visit post office and/or pharmacy (read: places with queues) several times to collect mail, buy stuff etc., at various time of the day (early morning, late morning, lunch time, evening, weekend).
I caught myself on being extremely annoyed and frustrated by all the retired/unemployed people there every time who "could just go to the post office when hardworking people like me are at work, so they do not waste my time during the hours I can actually get out - on my way to work, on my lunch break, on my way home, or on a weekend - of my work". Then I realized that if you tally that up, they probably have like 3 hours per day to do this (some time around 2-5 p.m.) on work days as everything else is a "me-time". :P
I guess I am a narcissist.
I've been thinking lately on why so many of my sentences start with the letter "I". :hmm:
Interestingly, note how I turned the subject around there..
Intriguing.
Indubitably, I am such a paragon of excellence that it's only natural I should use myself as example for others so involving myself in the subject would not seem so much arrogance as rationality.
Also, I think all these traits make me a quirky but exceptional human being and I feel really good with them. :unsure:
In fact when a colleague recently told me that I'm a type of a "charming asshole", I said that I embrace that since this makes me special.
Does it mean I'm a narcissistic person? :unsure:
Edit: For the record, the above three sentences had 9 "I" and/or "me" in them. :ph34r:
That's just code for "asshole" but people are too polite to say so.
"Oh, he's a gentleman robber".
No, he's just a thieving bastard.
And you're just an asshole.
Edit: No I/me. :bowler:
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:47:57 AM
I guess I am a narcissist.
I've been thinking lately on why so many of my sentences start with the letter "I". :hmm:
Interestingly, note how I turned the subject around there..
Intriguing.
Indubitably, I am such a paragon of excellence that it's only natural I should use myself as example for others so involving myself in the subject would not seem so much arrogance as rationality.
Enough about you, let's talk about me.
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:52:57 AM
That's just code for "asshole" but people are too polite to say so.
"Oh, he's a gentleman robber".
No, he's just a thieving bastard.
And you're just an asshole.
Edit: No I/me. :bowler:
But only because you were insulting me. :P
Anyway, I don't deny I'm an asshole.
Quote from: Martinus on April 08, 2011, 01:53:23 AM
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:47:57 AM
I guess I am a narcissist.
I've been thinking lately on why so many of my sentences start with the letter "I". :hmm:
Interestingly, note how I turned the subject around there..
Intriguing.
Indubitably, I am such a paragon of excellence that it's only natural I should use myself as example for others so involving myself in the subject would not seem so much arrogance as rationality.
Enough about you, let's talk about me.
But I don't find you that interesting. :P
Quote from: Martinus on April 08, 2011, 01:55:09 AM
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:52:57 AM
That's just code for "asshole" but people are too polite to say so.
"Oh, he's a gentleman robber".
No, he's just a thieving bastard.
And you're just an asshole.
Edit: No I/me. :bowler:
But only because you were insulting me. :P
Anyway, I don't deny I'm an asshole.
Folks, Id like to sing a song about the American Dream
About me, about you
About the way our American hearts beat way down in the bottom of our chests
About that special feeling we get in the cockles of our hearts
Maybe below the cockles,
Maybe in the sub cockle area,
Maybe in the liver, maybe in the kidneys,
Maybe even in the colon, we dont know
Im just a regular Joe, with a regular job
Im your average white, suburbanite slob
I like football and porno and books about war
I got an average house, with a nice hardwood floor
My wife and my job, my kids and my car
My feet on my table, and a Cuban cigar
But sometimes that just aint enough to keep a man like me interested
(oh no, no way, uh uh)
No I gotta go out and have fun at someone elses expense
(woah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah)
I drive really slow in the ultra fast lane
While people behind me are going insane
Im an asshole (hes an asshole)
Im an asshole (hes an asshole, such an asshole)
I use public toilets and I piss on the seat
I walk around in the summer time saying "how about this heat?"
Im an asshole (hes an asshole)
Im an asshole (hes the worlds biggest asshole)
Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces
While handicapped people make handicapped faces
Im an asshole (hes an asshole)
Im an asshole (hes a real fucking asshole)
Maybe I shouldnt be singing this song
Ranting and raving and carrying on
Maybe theyre right when they tell me Im wrong
Nah
Im an asshole (hes an asshole)
Im an asshole (hes the worlds biggest asshole)
You know what Im gonna do
Im gonna get myself a 1967 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
Hot pink, with whale skin hubcaps
And all leather cow interior
And make brown baby seal eyes for head lights (yeah)
And Im gonna drive in that baby at 115 miles per hour
Gettin' 1 mile per gallon,
Sucking down Quarter Pounder cheeseburgers from McDonalds
In the old fashioned non-biodegradable styrofoam containers
And when Im done sucking down those greeseball burgers
Im gonna wipe my mouth with the American flag
And then Im gonna toss the styrofoam containers right out the side
And there aint a goddamn thing anybody can do about it
You know why, because weve got the bombs, thats why
2 words, nuclear fucking weapons, OK?
Russia, Germany, Romania, they can have all the democracy they want
They can have a big democracy cakewalk
Right through the middle of Tiananmen Square
and it wont make a lick of difference
Because weve got the bombs, OK?
John Wayne's not dead, hes frozen, and as soon as we find a cure for cancer
Were gonna thaw out the duke and hes gonna be pretty pissed off
You know why,
Have you ever taken a cold shower, well multiply that by 15 million times
Thats how pissed off the dukes gonna be!
I'm gonna get the Duke, and John Cassavetes,
and Lee Marvin, and Sam Peckinpah, and a case of whiskey,
and drive down to Texas and say.....
(Hey! You know, you really are an asshole!)
Why don't you just shut up and sing the song, pal?
Im an asshole (hes an asshole)
Im an asshole (hes the worlds biggest asshole)
A-S-S-H-O-L-E
Everybody
A-S-S-H-O-L-E
Im an asshole and Im proud of it
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:55:34 AM
Quote from: Martinus on April 08, 2011, 01:53:23 AM
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:47:57 AM
I guess I am a narcissist.
I've been thinking lately on why so many of my sentences start with the letter "I". :hmm:
Interestingly, note how I turned the subject around there..
Intriguing.
Indubitably, I am such a paragon of excellence that it's only natural I should use myself as example for others so involving myself in the subject would not seem so much arrogance as rationality.
Enough about you, let's talk about me.
But I don't find you that interesting. :P
Still, if the only alternative is talking about you, then talking about me is more interesting. :P
Quote from: Martinus on April 08, 2011, 01:58:02 AM
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:55:34 AM
Quote from: Martinus on April 08, 2011, 01:53:23 AM
Quote from: Slargos on April 08, 2011, 01:47:57 AM
I guess I am a narcissist.
I've been thinking lately on why so many of my sentences start with the letter "I". :hmm:
Interestingly, note how I turned the subject around there..
Intriguing.
Indubitably, I am such a paragon of excellence that it's only natural I should use myself as example for others so involving myself in the subject would not seem so much arrogance as rationality.
Enough about you, let's talk about me.
But I don't find you that interesting. :P
Still, if the only alternative is talking about you, then talking about me is more interesting. :P
Homohistrionics. :rolleyes:
Am I a narcissists?