Moving beyond Parents in the Etiology of Narcissistic Traits

The core features of narcissism have been thoroughly discussed in the preceding chapters. What stands out from this discussion is the apparent importance of interpersonal processes in the development and maintenance of narcissism. The interpersonal nature of narcissism stands in sharp contrast to other conceptualizations of self, such as global feelings of self-esteem, that largely involve internal thoughts and feelings (Washburn, McMahon, King, Reinecke, & Silver, 2004). Because an individual with low self-esteem may experience self-deprecating cognitions, depressive affect, and withdrawn behavior without ever interacting with others, the manifestations of high or low self-esteem do not require interaction with others.