NARCISSISM

A 100 years of narcissism from Freud to Masterson, and how it affects people today

Table of Contents

Chapter - I4

Introduction4

History And Development5

The Root Of Narcissism (Developmental Angle)6

Contemporary Views Of Narcissism8

Assessment9

Relevant Research9

The Narcissist's Perspective12

The Partner's Perspective13

Additional Issues14

Chapter - II16

Literature Review16

Freud, Sigmund (1856-1939)16

Conflict and Repression17

Dreams and Two Principles of Mental Functioning18

Narcissism and Melancholia19

The Death Drive and the Super-Ego21

Social and Political Writings22

Totem and Taboo (1914)22

Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego (1921)23

The Future of an Illusion (1927)24

Civilization and Its Discontents (1930)25

Moses and Monotheism (1938)26

After Freud27

James F. Masterson28

Masterson On Narcissism29

Narcissism Masterson's Subtypes29

Narcissistic Personality Disorder30

Treatment33

Effects of Narcissism on Relationships34

Narcissism Today34

Narcissism VS. Individualism34

The Projective Assessment Of Narcissism36

Chapter - III44

METHOD44

Chapter - IV49

Results And Discussion49

Chapter - V54

Conclusion54

References65

Chapter - I

Introduction

Narcissism in its extreme forms is considered a personality disorder. It is defined as a syndrome or combination of characteristics that includes the following: (a) a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, self-importance, and perceived uniqueness; (b) a preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success and power; (c) exhibitionism and attention seeking; (d) emotional reactivity especially to threats to self-esteem; (e) displays of entitlement and the expectation of special treatment from others; and (f) an unwillingness or inability to show empathy.

The name "narcissism" was coined by Freud after a Greek myth about a pathologically self-absorbed young man. Freud believed that some narcissism is an essential part of all of us from birth.

Researchers have also investigated a less-extreme form of narcissism that is termed the narcissistic personality type. These individuals possess most or all of the characteristics of the narcissistic personality disorder but are considered within the normal range of personality. Several self-report measures of narcissistic personality have been used to identify narcissists for research purposes. The most widely used scale is the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), and it is thought to measure both narcissistic personality disorder as well as narcissism in the normal population. The NPI is understood to contain at least four subscales: leadership/authority, superiority/arrogance, self-absorption/self-admiration, and entitlement/ exploitativeness. However, an individual must score fairly highly on each dimension to be considered a narcissistic personality type(Freud, 1953).

History And Development

The term narcissism is derived from the Ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, popularized in psychology by Sigmund Freud. Narcissism is a personality trait that is characterized by a positive, grand iose, and inflated view of the self. Narcissists see themselves as better than others on traits such as social status, ability, creativity, and physical appearance. Narcissists also have an elevated sense of entitlement and believe that they are special and unique. Narcissism is also related to a lack of interest in forming emotionally close relationships with others. Finally, narcissism is linked with efforts to enhance and defend self-esteem. That is, narcissists seek opportunities that will make them look and feel successful and attractive. In its most extreme form, narcissism becomes narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). This is a rare clinical condition that shares characteristics with narcissism(Fuss, 1995).

Narcissism has consequences for a wide range of relationships. A good deal of research has examined narcissism in dating relationships, new or emerging relationships ...