Yes, research shows a link between narcissism and taking selfies, especially for grandiose narcissists who often post solo selfies to seek attention, admiration, and present an idealized self, but the connection isn't universal and varies by gender and narcissism type. Narcissistic individuals, particularly men, tend to post more solo selfies and edit them more, driven by a need for validation and to display grandiosity, though many non-narcissists also take selfies.
Halpern, Valenzuela, and Katz (2016) suggested that selfies might have a self-reinforcement effect whereby narcissists frequently take selfies in order to maintain positive views of themselves, which in turn increases their narcissism levels.
1) Attention-seeking
But for those who are constantly taking selfies, this need is often more pronounced. Avid selfie-takers usually desire the spotlight and enjoy being the center of attention. They use selfies as a means to share their lives, experiences, and emotions with others.
Cold, Unfeeling Eyes One of the most unnerving physical characteristics of a narcissist is their gaze. Described as “dead eyes” or a “predatory stare,” their eyes lack warmth and true emotional depth. It's the look of someone who sees people as objects—tools to extract admiration, control, or validation.
Too many selfies indicates someone with either low self esteem, needing constant validation, OR , a narcissist that literally can't get enough of themselves. Either way, it could be an issue.
Posting attention-seeking behavior
If your partner is obsessed with their social media statistics, posts selfies several times a day in the hope of getting a response, or goes to extremes to create videos that are likely to draw attention, this is a box of red flags.
Research has confirmed that the main reasons that encourage people to take their photos and post them on social networks include the following: the desire to increase their self-esteem; communication; transfer and preservation of information; entertainment (Sung et al., 2016); or seeking self-approval, maintaining a ...
One of the most overlooked narcissism symptoms is the habitual act of not listening. This might be a surprise because narcissists can be so good at faking interest. They have an uncanny ability to make you believe they're hanging on to your every word.
Five key signs of a narcissist include a grandiose sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a strong sense of entitlement, lack of empathy, and a tendency for interpersonally exploitative or manipulative behavior, often driven by deep-seated insecurity masked by arrogance and a belief they are "special" or superior.
According to the author, the APA defined “selfitis” as “the obsessive-compulsive desire to take photos of one's self and post them on social media as a way to make up for the lack of self-esteem and to fill a gap in intimacy.” The article broke down three levels of the disorder, including borderline selfitis, acute ...
After analyzing their survey results and interviews, researchers identified three categories of selfie-takers: communicators, autobiographers and self-publicists.
Selfies help people portray a version of themselves to the world. This is a statement that says “Look at me. This is who I am.” At times, it can be a very powerful statement and inspire people on to great things in their lives, while at other times, it is simply something that helps them get through the day.
The number one trait of a narcissist is often considered a grandiose sense of self-importance (grandiosity) combined with a profound lack of empathy, where they see others as tools for their own gain and have an inflated, often unrealistic, view of their own superiority, needing constant admiration without acknowledging others' feelings or needs, as highlighted by HelpGuide.org and The Hart Centre. This core creates other behaviors like entitlement, manipulation, and arrogance, making them believe they deserve special treatment.
Narcissistic traits often peak in late adolescence and early adulthood (around ages 14-23), particularly with grandiosity and entitlement, as individuals seek identity and status, but then tend to decline as people mature and face life's realities, though some individuals with NPD may see intensification in these years before a potential mellowing in middle age.
The "3 E's of Narcissism" refer to Entitlement, Exploitation, and Empathy (lack of), core characteristics often cited by experts like Dr. Supriya McKenna as red flags for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). These traits manifest as a strong sense of deserving special treatment, using others for personal gain, and a significant inability to understand or share others' feelings, creating dysfunctional relationships.
These six common symptoms of narcissism can help you identify a narcissist:
Through an examination of the clinical similarities and differences in the self-esteem regulation, emotional adjustment, and interpersonal problems of narcissists, Ronningstam (2005) identified three 'subtypes' of Narcissism: the Arrogant type, the Shy type, and the Psychopathic type.
“You're wrong.”
Granted, no one likes to be told they're wrong. But it's especially irksome to a narcissist because it challenges their sense of authority or infallibility. “It's an accusation, which is going to bring up defensiveness right away,” Potthoff says.
As a Harvard-trained psychologist, I've found that there are seven phrases you'll hear from highly narcissistic people:
Based on some overlapping symptoms, borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) are two mental health disorders that are often mistaken for one another.
When you stop giving a narcissist attention, they feel a profound sense of loss, as their self-esteem relies on external validation, leading them to escalate tactics like manipulation, charm, guilt-tripping, and smear campaigns to regain control, but with consistent boundaries, they may eventually lose interest and move on, though the initial withdrawal often involves intense attempts to re-engage you.
In a different article for Psychology Today, doctor Pamela Rutledge says “that taking selfies can be detrimental to a person's mental health and that indulging in them is indicative of narcissism, low self esteem, attention seeking behavior and self-indulgence.”
The millennial generation is being dubbed the "selfie generation." According to a new survey, 95 percent of young adults say they've taken at least one selfie, but most take many more. On average, millennials spend 54 hours a year taking photographs of themselves.
Studies show that selfitis is a condition in which a person uses selfies to boost confidence, fit in with peers, and achieve a sense of validation from others. This condition is characterized by a person's need to constantly take photos of his or herself and post them online.