Through the Lens of Narcissism: Differential Effects of Admiration and Rivalry

Abstract

Research concerning the role of narcissism in influencing perceptions of situations is sparse. In this study, the daily influences of two components of trait narcissism, admiration and rivalry, were explored using narrative life-logging cameras. We examined the influences of admiration and rivalry on perceptions of situation desire, situation choice, momentary self-esteem, authenticity, and the DIAMONDS (Duty, Intellect, Adversity, Mating, pOsitivity, Negativity, Deception, and Sociality) characteristics of situations among a sample of undergraduate students. Rivalry was found to be predictive of lower situation desire and choice, while admiration and overall narcissism were not. Admiration showed a significant positive association with both momentary self-esteem and momentary authenticity, while rivalry showed a negative association with these two variables. Patterns emerged demonstrating that the two facets, admiration and rivalry, differentially predict perceptions of the DIAMONDS characteristics of situations. This research further illuminates the need to study narcissism as multidimensional and provides various implications for counselors working with clients who display narcissistic tendencies.