A computational framework to study the etiology of grandiose narcissism.

Deborah M Löschner, Martin Schoemann, Emanuel Jauk, Lena Herchenhahn, Sarah Schwöbel, Philipp Kanske, Stefan Scherbaum

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Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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7 authors.

Deborah M LöschnerInstitute of Work, Organisational and Social Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany. deborah_maria.loeschner@tu-dresden.de.

Martin SchoemannInstitute of General Psychology, Biopsychology and Methods of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany.

Emanuel JaukDepartment of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria.

Lena HerchenhahnInstitute of Psychology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Zu Kiel, 24118, Kiel, Germany.

Sarah SchwöbelInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187, Dresden, Germany.

Philipp KanskeInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187, Dresden, Germany.

Stefan ScherbaumInstitute of General Psychology, Biopsychology and Methods of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Grandiose narcissism is characterized by ambivalent interaction behavior (i.e., grandiose self-presentation and rivalrous devaluation of others) and strong oscillations in self-esteem over time. In the light of emotional and social problems associated with these self-esteem regulation patterns and the increasing prevalence of narcissistic tendencies, causal and formalized models for prevention and intervention are needed. Here, we present a computational model of narcissistic self-esteem regulation implementing established, verbal theories of narcissism to identify key etiological and disorder-maintaining mechanisms. Across four studies, we show that parental praise and overvaluation lead to typical grandiose-narcissistic behavioral patterns (i.e., entitled self-presentation and rivalry) and strong self-esteem oscillations. Underlying these phenomena, we identify two maintaining mechanisms that offer targets for intervention and empirical falsification: tolerance development, characterized by an ever-increasing desire for social recognition, and a vicious cycle of rivalry, characterized by the frequent use of other-devaluing behavior and massive drops in self-esteem.

Indexed as

NarcissismSelf ConceptAdolescentAdultComputer SimulationFemaleHumansMaleModels, PsychologicalYoung AdultAgent-based modelingComputational psychologyEtiologyNarcissismPersonality

Identifiers

PMID39966564

DOI10.1038/s41598-025-90109-w

PMCPMC11836455

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