Why some Narcissists have Friends and others not: Using the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept in (Young) Adolescents

Abstract

Research on narcissism has generated inconsistent results regarding its inter- and intrapersonal consequences in adults and adolescents. The Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept (NARC) is a two-dimensional model which is designed to clarify paradoxical results of narcissism. In the current study, the NARC was used to examine different social consequences of narcissistic admiration and rivalry in 535 adolescents (M = 15.10, SD = 1.58). In addition, the specific behavioral mechanisms (i.e. communal and agentic behaviors) underlying this association were examined. The results show that narcissistic admiration and rivalry are two independent constructs, whit both explaining different social consequences of narcissism. On the one hand, admiration is related to having more friends and a higher friendship quality. On the other hand, rivalry is associated with having fewer friends, more acquaintances, lower friendship quality and more conflict in friendships. These associations can partially be explained by the display of communal and agentic behaviors. The present study shows that narcissistic rivalry, and especially the lack of communal behaviors, can be an intervention target among adolescents who maintain few meaningful friendships due to their behavior. However, more longitudinal research is needed, especially using peer-report measures or observational data to provide a more holistic understanding.