We propose a self-regulation model of grandiose narcissism. This model illustrates an interconnected set of processes through which narcissists (i.e., individuals with relatively high levels of grandiose narcissism) pursue social status in their moment-by-moment transactions with their environments. The model shows that narcissists select situations that afford status. Narcissists vigilantly attend to cues related to the status they and others have in these situations and, on the basis of these perceived cues, appraise whether they can elevate their status or reduce the status of others. Narcissists engage in self-promotion (admiration pathway) or other-derogation (rivalry pathway) in accordance with these appraisals. Each pathway has unique consequences for how narcissists are perceived by others, thus shaping their social status over time. The model demonstrates how narcissism manifests itself as a stable and consistent cluster of behaviors in pursuit of social status and how it develops and maintains itself over time. More broadly, the model might offer useful insights for future process models of other personality traits.

中文翻译：

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自恋的“为什么”和“如何”：自恋地位追求的过程模型。


我们提出了一种浮夸自恋的自我调节模型。这个模型说明了一组相互关联的过程，通过这些过程，自恋者（即具有相对较高程度的浮夸自恋的个体）在与环境的每时每刻的交易中追求社会地位。该模型表明，自恋者会选择能够提供地位的情境。自恋者会警惕地关注与他们和他人在这些情况下的地位相关的线索，并根据这些感知到的线索来评估他们是否可以提升自己的地位或降低他人的地位。自恋者根据这些评价进行自我提升（钦佩途径）或贬低他人（竞争途径）。每条途径都会对他人如何看待自恋者产生独特的影响，从而随着时间的推移塑造他们的社会地位。该模型展示了自恋如何表现为追求社会地位的一系列稳定且一致的行为，以及它如何随着时间的推移而发展和维持。更广泛地说，该模型可能为其他人格特质的未来过程模型提供有用的见解。