Montreal, Canada – Celebrities, professional athletes, and high-powered executives seem to have it all; they appear larger than life. However, it probably wouldn’t surprise people to learn that behind the confident, almost arrogant, façade of many highly-successful people lies an often fragile self-esteem. Assessing 2,072 people using their Self-esteem Test, researchers at PsychTests reveal that narcissists may appear confident on the surface, but much like the fabled egg in the popular nursery rhyme, keeping the shell of their self-image intact is a precarious affair.
When researchers at PsychTests initially compared the self-esteem of narcissists to those who are not narcissistic, they found a significant yet negligible difference of only three points on their self-esteem scores (80 vs. 83 respectively, on a scale from 0 to 100). On the surface, both groups appeared the same: They both had a strong sense of their worth, a low need for approval from others, and seemed to be in good social standing. When the researchers took a closer look at how narcissists and non-narcissists respond to criticism, however, they found a glaring difference. Those who score high on narcissism take to criticism like the wicked witch in Oz takes to water:
78% of narcissists believe that people who criticize them do so because they are jealous (compared to 6% of non-narcissists).
69% of narcissists will only listen to positive appraisals of themselves and ignore negative criticism (compared to 9% of non-narcissists).
47% of narcissists believe that a partially failing at something is just as bad as a complete failure (compared to 5% of non-narcissists).
47% of narcissists feel insulted when someone rejects their ideas (compared to 5% of non-narcissists).
46% of narcissists consider it essential to be liked by everyone they meet (compared to 5% of non-narcissists).
45% of narcissists feel degraded when someone points out their mistakes (compared to 4% of non-narcissists).
44% of narcissists don’t like it when people point out their mistakes (compared to 9% of non-narcissists).
40% of narcissists believe that being successful is imperative; more important, even, than trying their best (compared to 5% of non-narcissists).
37% of narcissists are uncomfortable admitting their mistakes or admitting fault (compared to 3% of non-narcissists).
33% of narcissists believe that talking about their faults makes them vulnerable to insults and mockery from others (compared to 6% of non-narcissists).
“Narcissists thrive, or rather, survive, on admiration and approval from others,” explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests. “Therefore, when someone dares to challenge their grandiose self-view they end up shocked and upset; when they’re criticized, it’s like an error message pops into their mind as ‘does not compute’. People who are not narcissists, on the other hand, accept criticism with grace and learn from their mistakes and failures. Narcissists may nonchalantly brush off criticism in front of others, but it does hurt them quite deeply. In the end, their self-esteem will go through extreme ups and downs depending on how others view them in a given moment.”
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About PsychTests.com
PsychTests.com is a subsidiary of PsychTests AIM Inc. PsychTests.com is a site that creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. The site offers a full range of professional-quality, scientifically-validated psychological assessments that empower people to grow and reach their real potential through insightful feedback and detailed, custom-tailored analysis.
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com). The company’s research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.
