5 Types of Narcissism and How to Spot Them

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOvert (Grandiose) NarcissismCovert (Vulnerable) NarcissismCommunal NarcissismAntagonistic NarcissismMalignant NarcissismNarcissism vs. NPD

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Overt (Grandiose) Narcissism

Covert (Vulnerable) Narcissism

Communal Narcissism

Antagonistic Narcissism

Malignant Narcissism

Narcissism vs. NPD

Close

A person who constantly seeks attention, is self-involved, and craves praise, ornarcissistic supply, may be considered narcissistic. They may exhibit some behaviors of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). However, having some narcissistic traits does not necessarily mean they are diagnosed with NPD.

Narcissism is a personality trait that ranges along a spectrum. In this article, we explain the five types of narcissism, their signs, how to spot them, and the difference between narcissism and NPD.

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Overt narcissism is probably what most people think of when they think of someone who is narcissistic. They may be overbearing, extroverted, social, egotistic, and excessively competitive.

Their narcissistic behavior is obvious. Some common signs of someone with overt narcissism include the following:

A person with overt narcissism may perceive themselves as moreemotionally intelligent(EI) than they actually are.

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Covert narcissism can be thought of as the opposite presentation of overt narcissism. Their behavior is much less obvious and more subtle.Covert narcissistsdon’t behave loudly, nor are they outgoing. They are still highly focused on themselves with a thirst for praise from others. Their need for admiration may manifest as giving backhanded compliments or talking down about themselves in an effort to gain reassurance from others. Other common signs of covert narcissism include the following:

A type of overt narcissism is communal narcissism. Communal narcissists will claim to have a strong moral code with a belief in fairness but will not behave according to their beliefs.

Other signs include of communal narcissism include:

However, their actions will not align with what they say, believe, or think. For instance, their concern for others is not authentic or genuine. Their intentions for expressing moral outrage are based on gaining social power or elevating self-importance. They are upset when others are treated unfairly but will not treat others fairly when they face a similar situation.

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Overt narcissists are social and outgoing and tend to make friends easily. However, someone with antagonistic narcissism may have trouble maintaining social connections with others as the personality trait is associated with a detrimental effect on peer relationships.

A longitudinal study looked at narcissism and popularity in the development of peer relationships over time. Using data collected from psychology first-year students the results showed that grandiose narcissism was linked to initial popularity however among those with antagonistic behaviors, their popularity decreased in the long run.

The most severe type of narcissism ismalignant narcissism. Some mental health researchers have considered this as a mixture of narcissism andantisocial personality disorder. A person with malignant narcissism displays symptoms of NPD.

Malignant narcissism is considered a serious condition; however, in the current research, there is no formal structured interview or self-reported measures to identify malignant narcissism. This makes research and diagnosis difficult for this presentation.

An exploratory study looked at clinical changes in those withborderline personality disorderin relation to features considered those of malignant narcissism such as paranoid propensities, psychopathic features and a proclivity for sadistic interactions.

The results showed that those with malignant narcissism were more likely to have a slower rate of improvement in anxiety and global functioning.

Similar to overt narcissism, malignant narcissists constantly desire attention and praise; however, their behaviors to fulfill this need are extreme. Some common signs of malignant narcissism include the following:

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Narcissism vs. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

It is important to note that although there are various types of narcissism, there isonly one official diagnosis for NPD. Symptoms of NPD are similar to narcissism, such as a lack of empathy for others, a desire for attention and praise, and a sense of entitlement. However, someone with traits of narcissism may not be diagnosed with NPD.

Mental health providers will use theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)to clinically diagnose someone with NPD. A diagnosis requires a qualified mental health professional to assess the person for personality dysfunction among multiple domains and the expression of specific personality traits.

NPD is a mental health disorder that leads to clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning in one’s life.

Narcissism can be a common trait during life stages such as adolescence; however, having this personality traitdoes not meanthe person will develop NPD.

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10 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brookes J.The effect of overt and covert narcissism on self-esteem and self-efficacy beyond self-esteem.Personality and Individual Differences. 2015;85:172–175.Zajenkowski M, Maciantowicz O, Szymaniak K, Urban P.Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism are differentially associated with ability and trait emotional intelligence.Front Psychol. 2018;9.Yang Z, Sedikides C, Gu R, et al.Communal narcissism: Social decisions and neurophysiological reactions.Journal of Research in Personality. 2018;76:64–73.Heinze PE, Fatfouta R, Schröder-Abé M.Validation of an implicit measure of antagonistic narcissism.Journal of Research in Personality. 2020;88:103993.Fatfouta R, Zeigler-Hill V, Schröder-Abé M.I’m merciful, am I not? Facets of narcissism and forgiveness revisited.Journal of Research in Personality.2017;70:166–173.Kwiatkowska MM, Jułkowski T, Rogoza R, Żemojtel-Piotrowska M, Fatfouta R.Narcissism and trust: Differential impact of agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism.Personality and Individual Differences. 2019;137:139–143.Leckelt M, Geukes K, Küfner ACP, et al.A longitudinal field investigation of narcissism and popularity over time: how agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism shape the development of peer relationships.Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2020;46(4):643–659.Shafti SS.Malignant narcissism: concealed side of psychopathy.BJSTR. 2019;22(1):16310–16315.Goldner-Vukov M, Moore LJ.Malignant Narcissism: from fairy tales to harsh reality.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(3):392–405.Lenzenweger MF, Clarkin JF, Caligor E, Cain NM, Kernberg OF.Malignant narcissism in relation to clinical change in borderline personality disorder: an exploratory study.Psychopathology. 2018;51(5):318–325.

10 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brookes J.The effect of overt and covert narcissism on self-esteem and self-efficacy beyond self-esteem.Personality and Individual Differences. 2015;85:172–175.Zajenkowski M, Maciantowicz O, Szymaniak K, Urban P.Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism are differentially associated with ability and trait emotional intelligence.Front Psychol. 2018;9.Yang Z, Sedikides C, Gu R, et al.Communal narcissism: Social decisions and neurophysiological reactions.Journal of Research in Personality. 2018;76:64–73.Heinze PE, Fatfouta R, Schröder-Abé M.Validation of an implicit measure of antagonistic narcissism.Journal of Research in Personality. 2020;88:103993.Fatfouta R, Zeigler-Hill V, Schröder-Abé M.I’m merciful, am I not? Facets of narcissism and forgiveness revisited.Journal of Research in Personality.2017;70:166–173.Kwiatkowska MM, Jułkowski T, Rogoza R, Żemojtel-Piotrowska M, Fatfouta R.Narcissism and trust: Differential impact of agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism.Personality and Individual Differences. 2019;137:139–143.Leckelt M, Geukes K, Küfner ACP, et al.A longitudinal field investigation of narcissism and popularity over time: how agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism shape the development of peer relationships.Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2020;46(4):643–659.Shafti SS.Malignant narcissism: concealed side of psychopathy.BJSTR. 2019;22(1):16310–16315.Goldner-Vukov M, Moore LJ.Malignant Narcissism: from fairy tales to harsh reality.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(3):392–405.Lenzenweger MF, Clarkin JF, Caligor E, Cain NM, Kernberg OF.Malignant narcissism in relation to clinical change in borderline personality disorder: an exploratory study.Psychopathology. 2018;51(5):318–325.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Brookes J.The effect of overt and covert narcissism on self-esteem and self-efficacy beyond self-esteem.Personality and Individual Differences. 2015;85:172–175.Zajenkowski M, Maciantowicz O, Szymaniak K, Urban P.Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism are differentially associated with ability and trait emotional intelligence.Front Psychol. 2018;9.Yang Z, Sedikides C, Gu R, et al.Communal narcissism: Social decisions and neurophysiological reactions.Journal of Research in Personality. 2018;76:64–73.Heinze PE, Fatfouta R, Schröder-Abé M.Validation of an implicit measure of antagonistic narcissism.Journal of Research in Personality. 2020;88:103993.Fatfouta R, Zeigler-Hill V, Schröder-Abé M.I’m merciful, am I not? Facets of narcissism and forgiveness revisited.Journal of Research in Personality.2017;70:166–173.Kwiatkowska MM, Jułkowski T, Rogoza R, Żemojtel-Piotrowska M, Fatfouta R.Narcissism and trust: Differential impact of agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism.Personality and Individual Differences. 2019;137:139–143.Leckelt M, Geukes K, Küfner ACP, et al.A longitudinal field investigation of narcissism and popularity over time: how agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism shape the development of peer relationships.Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2020;46(4):643–659.Shafti SS.Malignant narcissism: concealed side of psychopathy.BJSTR. 2019;22(1):16310–16315.Goldner-Vukov M, Moore LJ.Malignant Narcissism: from fairy tales to harsh reality.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(3):392–405.Lenzenweger MF, Clarkin JF, Caligor E, Cain NM, Kernberg OF.Malignant narcissism in relation to clinical change in borderline personality disorder: an exploratory study.Psychopathology. 2018;51(5):318–325.

Brookes J.The effect of overt and covert narcissism on self-esteem and self-efficacy beyond self-esteem.Personality and Individual Differences. 2015;85:172–175.

Zajenkowski M, Maciantowicz O, Szymaniak K, Urban P.Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism are differentially associated with ability and trait emotional intelligence.Front Psychol. 2018;9.

Yang Z, Sedikides C, Gu R, et al.Communal narcissism: Social decisions and neurophysiological reactions.Journal of Research in Personality. 2018;76:64–73.

Heinze PE, Fatfouta R, Schröder-Abé M.Validation of an implicit measure of antagonistic narcissism.Journal of Research in Personality. 2020;88:103993.

Fatfouta R, Zeigler-Hill V, Schröder-Abé M.I’m merciful, am I not? Facets of narcissism and forgiveness revisited.Journal of Research in Personality.2017;70:166–173.

Kwiatkowska MM, Jułkowski T, Rogoza R, Żemojtel-Piotrowska M, Fatfouta R.Narcissism and trust: Differential impact of agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism.Personality and Individual Differences. 2019;137:139–143.

Leckelt M, Geukes K, Küfner ACP, et al.A longitudinal field investigation of narcissism and popularity over time: how agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism shape the development of peer relationships.Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2020;46(4):643–659.

Shafti SS.Malignant narcissism: concealed side of psychopathy.BJSTR. 2019;22(1):16310–16315.

Goldner-Vukov M, Moore LJ.Malignant Narcissism: from fairy tales to harsh reality.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(3):392–405.

Lenzenweger MF, Clarkin JF, Caligor E, Cain NM, Kernberg OF.Malignant narcissism in relation to clinical change in borderline personality disorder: an exploratory study.Psychopathology. 2018;51(5):318–325.

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