Narcissism shows itself differently in women and men. Here’s how to identify it and manage it - and why it is important to take caution. The term narcissism may conjure up images of chest-pumping, arrogant, male self-promoters.
The personality trait – with its hallmark features of overt grandiosity, assertiveness and superiority – is more commonly observed in men. That is because these central features align closely with traditional masculine traits. In fact, up to 75 per cent of people diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder are men.
But narcissism is a modern epidemic that afflicts men and women alike. Our new research, published in Sex Roles, shows how narcissism manifests itself differently in women – but reveals that narcissistic women can be as dangerous and violent as their male counterparts. Our research reveals that women with high traits of narcissism tend to be more vulnerable and insecure than their male peers.
That means it can sometimes be missed by clinical professionals, for example, misdiagnosed as borderline personality disorder. Narcissism is a complex personality trait. While full-blown narcissistic personality disorder isn’t too common, affecting about 1-2% of the population, we all have narcissism to varying degrees.
Narcissistic personality traits can be expressed in two forms: grandiose and vulnerable. People who exhibit more grandiose features are self-assured and socially dominant. People who exhibit more vulnerable features are in.