Is Narcissism Inversely Related to Satisfaction? An Examination of Data From Two U.S. Samples

ABSTRACT

To date, no research has directly examined associations between a nonprojective measure of narcissism and measures of satisfaction. Based on recent empirical research and the clinical observations of Kernberg (1975) and Kohut (1971), we posited that narcissism would be inversely related to life, self-, family, and job satisfaction (Hypothesis 1). Also, negative associations were predicted to be stronger for satisfaction with life and self than for satisfaction with family and job, as the first two sources are more integrally related to the ego identity than the latter two are (Hypothesis 2). With the use of two versions of the Margolis-Thomas (1980) Measure of Narcissism and several established satisfaction scales, data were collected from two samples, one of adult female college students and one of male alumni, in the United States. Hypothesis 1 was supported in both studies. Hypothesis 2 was supported in Study 1 only. In general, it was found that the narcissist obtains relatively little satisfaction.