A study into adolescent narcissism and popularity, conducted in a tightly run residential setting for at‑risk youths, has found that grandiose narcissism can briefly boost peer-perceived status, but this does not translate into being liked by classmates. The work, led by Christopher Barry of Washington State University, examined how two forms of narcissism relate to two forms of social status within a controlled environment.
Adolescence is a period marked by shifting social dynamics and a heightened focus on peer relationships. During this phase, traits such as egocentrism and narcissism can arise as teenagers form identities and assert independence from parents. In this context, narcissistic tendencies may offer certain social advantages, such as displaying the confidence thought to help establish autonomy.
Researchers distinguish narcissism into two main dimensions: grandiose and vulnerable. Grandiose narcissism is defined by an inflated sense of self-importance, a sense of entitlement and a readiness to seek admiration through bold or aggressive behaviour. Vulnerable narcissism, by contrast, involves a more fragile self-esteem dependent on social feedback, often accompanied by hypersensitivity and defensiveness.
The team posits that narcissistic individuals may employ different social strategies. Grandiose narcissism is typically linked to overt, status-seeking conduct, characterised by sociability and charm, while vulnerable narcissism is associated with more covert attempts to gain inclusion, which can manifest as withdrawal or interpersonal coldness.
Within adolescent social spheres, there is often a distinction between being well-liked and being popular. A teenager can be widely recognised as popular due to visibility or dominance even if they are not broadly well-liked. Barry and colleagues set out to explore how grandiose and vulnerable narcissism influence these two forms of social standing.
The study recruited 252 adolescents, aged 15 to 18, who were taking part in a 22‑week residential programme for at‑risk youth. The participants lived together, attended classes together and followed a highly structured daily routine within a quasi‑military setting. To ensure comparability, peer nomination data were standardised within each living group.
Data were collected at two points during the programme: roughly seven weeks after arrival and again at about 15 weeks, near the programme’s end. Participants completed questionnaires measuring levels of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and took part in a peer nomination activity, where each adolescent could nominate up to three peers fitting descriptors such as popular, well-liked, disliked, confident, boastful or dominant.
The findings showed that self‑reported grandiose narcissism was associated with peer‑nominated popularity at the first assessment. Adolescents who perceived themselves as highly self‑important were initially seen by peers as holding high social status. However, this link did not persist by the second assessment near the programme’s end.
In terms of being well-liked, grandiose narcissism did not correlate with being well-liked at either measurement point. Vulnerable narcissism similarly demonstrated little relation to overall social status, with only a weak association with being disliked during the early weeks.
Peer nominations added nuance: peers who viewed an adolescent as highly confident or dominant were generally seen as popular at both early and late stages of the programme. Displaying dominance could also correlate with being well-liked, suggesting that certain group norms might reward assertive behaviour in this setting.
Boastfulness presented a notably different trajectory. Adolescents nominated as boastful early on tended to be seen as popular at that time, but subsequent analyses revealed that early bragging predicted a fall in peer‑reported popularity by the programme’s end.
The researchers caution that the study’s highly structured, quasi‑military environment may shape social norms differently from more typical school settings. As a result, the observed dynamics might not fully generalise to broader adolescent populations.
Looking ahead, the team suggests exploring a wider range of narcissistic behaviours, such as manipulation or attention‑seeking, and employing larger, unrestricted peer nomination methods to capture a fuller picture of peer dynamics. Such work could help educators guide teenagers to project confidence without alienating their peers.
The study, How Does Narcissism Relate to Popularity and Likeability in an Adolescent Residential Setting?, was authored by Christopher Barry, Alex C. Yoshizumi, Hyunah Kim and Paige Yedinak.
