Can narcissists be highly intelligent?

Can narcissists be highly intelligent?

Because intelligence is commonly regarded as a highly agentic attribute (Abele & Wojciszke, 2014), many grandiose narcissists perceive themselves as exceptionally intelligent (Gabriel et al., 1994; Zajenkowski et al., 2019) and grandiose narcissism is a strong personality predictor of self-assessed intelligence ( …

How does a malignant narcissist think?

Malignant narcissism often involves a combination of internal fragility, aggression, and general suspiciousness of those around them. They are known for being manipulative, and the lack of empathy for others often means that they will do what they must in order to get what they want.

Do malignant narcissists have a conscience?

Kernberg described malignant narcissism as a syndrome characterized by a narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), antisocial features, paranoid traits, and egosyntonic aggression. Other symptoms may include an absence of conscience, a psychological need for power, and a sense of importance (grandiosity).

Why do narcissists care so much about intelligence?

Narcissists consider intelligence to be an important asset that leads to benefits in the social world. They are highly motivated to maintain a grandiose self-view with regard to intelligence, which enables them to feel good; they defend this self-view against criticism and want to appear smart to other people.

What happens when a malignant narcissist starts to unravel?

People often laugh at the outrageous behavior and comments of a narcissist, but what you are actually seeing may be the unraveling of an unstable personality. As a narcissist further unravels, they can become more and more destructive, to themselves and to others.

Do narcissists have emotional intelligence?

Some narcissists have supreme confidence in themselves, and also have the emotional intelligence — the ability to read people and to act accordingly — to nurture lasting allies. At the extreme of both, such a person could be a presidential candidate or a manipulative sociopath — or both.

Are narcissists less intelligent?

Even grandiose narcissists who had a higher cognitive ability than other narcissists were still not as smart as they thought they were, the study found. And compared to the average person, grandiose narcissists on a whole had a lower intellectual ability, Littrell said.