NARCISSISM, SELF-KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION, AND EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY - THE EFFECT OF DAILY EXPERIENCES ON SELF-ESTEEM AND AFFECT

In two studies, participants preselected on their extreme scores on th e Narcissistic Personality Inventory were assessed for self-complexity and evaluative integration. Then, for 5 (Study 1) or 6 (Study 2) cons ecutive days, they recorded their moods, self-esteem, and daily experi ences. Narcissists displayed greater positive mood variability, mood i ntensity, and self-esteem instability than did less narcissistic indiv iduals. Narcissism self-complexity, and evaluative integration were un related; however, narcissists who were low in evaluative integration e xperienced the greatest self-esteem instability Narcissism also intera cted with daily events such that relative to less narcissistic individ uals, negative interpersonal events increased self-esteem instability, and positive interpersonal events decreased self-esteem instability. The findings are discussed within reference to a social-cognitive-in t erpersonal model of narcissistic behavior.