Substantive vs. superficial self-enhancement: Differentiating narcissism constructs from self-esteem following failure

Abstract

We proposed that, following failure, narcissistic self-enhancement is designed to buffer symptoms of failure via self-serving accounts or avoidance (i.e., superficial self-enhancement) without promoting actual self-enhancement (i.e., substantive self-enhancement), whereas high-self-esteem self-enhancement is designed to promote substantive self-enhancement. A college sample (N = 232) completed measures of narcissism constructs (grandiose and vulnerable) and trait self-esteem. Next, participants completed indicators of psychological distress and superficial vs. substantive modes of self-enhancement after simulating a failure in agentic and relationship domains. Self-esteem was generally characterized by reduced psychological distress, substantive self-enhancement, and some reductions in superficial self-enhancement. Grandiose narcissism was also characterized by reduced psychological distress, but, unlike self-esteem, was only associated with superficial self-enhancement (excuses and devaluation). Vulnerable narcissism was characterized by greater psychological distress and only superficial self-enhancement (avoidance). Findings were highly similar across agentic and relationships domains. Broadly, the findings cohere with the idea that narcissism and self-esteem constructs represent distinct self-enhancement strategies.