The Continuum
In the previous section, I suggested that narcissism exists along a continuum, ranging from low to high levels.
Research supports this idea. For instance, one study examined grandiose and vulnerable traits among 891 college students, and found that participants exhibited a mix of both, to varying degrees.4
The results of the study are shown in the graph below. Each circle represents one participant:
The participants can be sorted into two types: those with low or balanced levels of narcissism, and those with high levels.
About a quarter are in the low range (bottom left). Another quarter clump around the middle of the graph, where grandiosity and vulnerability are moderate and balanced.
Roughly half exhibit significant levels of narcissism: a quarter or so fall within the mainly vulnerable range (top left), and the remainder are in the grandiose-vulnerable range (top right).
A pattern emerges once grandiosity scores reach about 2.8: vulnerability increases with grandiosity, as shown by the rising line. These highly vulnerable, highly grandiose people are relatively volatile, and at the extreme end are the ones most likely to meet the clinical criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD (current estimates are that up to 6% of people have NPD).5
The study suggests that there’s a considerable swathe of people with real narcissistic tendencies. Perhaps that’s why it’s easy for narcissists to find their way into our lives. They’re everywhere. It’s just a matter of degree.
The Grandiose-Vulnerable Narcissist
Grandiose-vulnerable narcissists tend to swing between states. They sometimes exhibit grandiose extroversion, confidence, and status-fixation. At other times, they may be sensitive to personal slights or feel victimized.