Adaptive Narcissism vs Pathological Narcissism
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a narcissist? Perhaps someone manipulative, selfish, unfeeling or vain. We may picture these people as those who may be more likely to commit crimes or atrocities, cheat on their partners or use people for their own selfish motives. We often despise these people, we avoid them, and we certainly don’t want to be anything like them … or do we?
An important point to acknowledge is the difference between what is commonly referred to as adaptive and pathological narcissism. Some researchers argue that adaptive and pathological narcissism are two distinct constructs in their own right respectfully while others argue that narcissism exists on a spectrum ranging from lower levels (adaptive narcissism) to higher levels (pathological narcissism). So what are they?
Adaptive Narcissism
Adaptive narcissism or ‘normal’ narcissism refers to people who score relatively highly on narcissistic traits however do not meet the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). While the general consensus seems to be that narcissistic traits are undesirable this may not necessarily be the case for adaptive narcissism.While adaptive narcissism and NPD do have some similar/overlapping traits, the primary difference between the two is the extent of them. While people with NPD experience significant personal and interpersonal dysfunction as a result of their excessive preoccupation with themselves and their appearance to the outside world, people who experience normal narcissism often maintain an exceptionally positive self-image in spite of internal or external circumstance.
Although in some cases this may be somewhat unrealistic, this stable sense of self appears to reflect low levels of neuroticism, depression, negative affectivity and levels of psychological distress. It appears as if this optimistic view of oneself may be an innate defence mechanism adopted by adaptive narcissists so that they may ward off feelings of sadness and consequentially maintain a positive and healthy perception of self.Furthermore, adaptive narcissism has even shown links with leadership and occupational success, particularly in careers that require a high sense of authority and high regard such as politicians. This makes sense as many adaptive narcissists show associations with leadership, authority, superiority and self-admiration.So it seems that adaptive or ‘normal’ forms of narcissism may in fact hold links to psychological health, an autonomous sense of self, and even success ... however this is not necessarily true of pathological narcissism.
Pathological Narcissism
While there is an overlap between symptoms of adaptive and pathological narcissism, there are also critical differences between the two. Pathological narcissism consists of trait central to that of a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, a sense of entitlement, an exaggerated sense of self-worth and a firm belief that others should validate their self worth. One of the most dysfunctional aspects of a pathological narcissist is that of substantial psychological distress when others do not comply with or validate this elevated self-perception or when they feel that it has been threatened in some way.
An almost innate ability central to that of a pathological narcissist is the cognitive process by which they modify any information that threatens this self-image in order to maintain an illusory perception of admiration for their perceived flawless self. This can almost be seen as a defence mechanism used to ward off feelings of psychological distress. If you’d like to learn more about what narcissism looks like and the two subtypes of NPD please refer to my previous blogs on these topics.So although there is an overlap between the characteristics of normal and pathological narcissism there are also a number of differences that separate the two in fundamental ways.
So before you are quick to label someone as a narcissist, have a think about these differences ... things may not be as black and white as we think when it comes to narcissism.