Narcissism and concern for others: A contradiction in terms?

摘要

Although concern for others and narcissism seem contradictory in nature, clinical evidence and theoretical writings on pathological forms of concern suggest that the relationship between these two constructs is more complex. The current research, comprised of two studies, examined the relationships between types of narcissism, forms of concern, and selfobject functions. In Study 1, the findings showed that pathological concern was positively associated with selfobject needs, and further showed that this association was mediated by covert narcissism. Study 2 partly replicated these findings and broadened the theoretical scope to include self-compassion, a potential inverse construct to pathological concern. The discussion focuses on the developmental aspects of pathological concern and its significance in both intrapersonal and interpersonal domains.