In this study we compared the ability of narcissism and self-esteem to
predict positive illusions in self-evaluations of intelligence and ph
ysical attractiveness in a sample of 146 college students. Narcissism
predicted both types of illusion for males and females; self-esteem pr
edicted intelligence self-illusion for males. Both males and females o
verestimated their own intelligence, with males, but not females, also
overestimating their attractiveness. Positive illusions for intellige
nce and attractiveness were correlated. Males showed greater positive
illusions than females, with this effect at least partly attributable
to observed gender differences in narcissism.