The scientific study of narcissism has accelerated in recent years. However, this literature has primarily been cross-sectional and descriptive in nature, making it difficult to integrate with theories of narcissism, which instead emphasize various dynamics. Theoretical work construes narcissism as a complex dynamical system with processes that interact to contribute to narcissism expression and maintenance. We begin by reviewing theoretical accounts of narcissism and what they suggest about dynamic processes. We then review research that examines processes associated with narcissism in naturalistic settings. Integrating clinical theories with empirical work, we highlight remaining tensions in the field and discuss major conceptual considerations. For example, we discuss the role of entitlement and antagonistic behavior within narcissism and the need to identify the temporal ordering of various processes (e.g., self-esteem fluctuations and fluctuations in grandiosity and vulnerability). In light of limitations of the existing literature, we then discuss methodological barriers that currently limit the ability to fully align empirical research with theorized processes within narcissism.

中文翻译：

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自恋动态

近年来，对自恋的科学研究加速了。然而，这些文献在本质上主要是横截面和描述性的，因此难以与自恋理论相结合，而自恋理论则强调各种动态。理论工作将自恋解释为一个复杂的动态系统，其过程相互作用以促进自恋的表达和维持。我们首先回顾自恋的理论解释以及它们对动态过程的建议。然后，我们回顾了研究自然主义环境中与自恋相关的过程。将临床理论与实证工作相结合，我们强调了该领域的剩余紧张局势并讨论了主要的概念考虑因素。例如，我们讨论了自恋中权利和对抗行为的作用，以及确定各种过程的时间顺序的必要性（例如，自尊波动以及自大和脆弱性的波动）。鉴于现有文献的局限性，我们然后讨论了目前限制将实证研究与自恋中的理论化过程完全一致的能力的方法论障碍。