Expanding the dynamic self-regulatory processing model of narcissism: Research directions for the future

The "self-regulatory processing model of narcissism" described in the targe t article conceptualizes narcissism as a set of intra- and interpersonal pr ocesses employed in the service of motivated self-construction. In response to the insightful and constructive commentaries, this article theoreticall y expands this model to elaborate more fully the paradoxical coexistence of grandiosity and vulnerability in narcissists. Toward this goal, we conside r the characteristics of the processing system and cognitive-affective dyna mics that might underlie narcissistic grandiosity-vulnerability, as well as possible developmental antecedents. We discuss the possible concurrent ope rations of two systems-one implicit, hot, impulsive, and affect driven, the other explicit, rational, or cool. This analysis allowed the model to be e xtended in ways that further illuminates some of narcissists' paradoxical e lements and enables specific predictions about the situational features lik ely to activate and maintain the narcissistic pattern. It is our hope that the model will stimulate additional research and theorizing about narcissis m and serve more generally as a framework for the study of other personalit y types.