A narcissist is defined by the desire for a higher social status, and not for social acceptance. Many confuse being narcissistic with having a high self-esteem.
An individual with a high self-esteem is not necessarily narcissistic as the difference between the two concepts is the idea of being superior than others. A person with a high self-esteem can think highly of himself, but not superior to others. An individual who is high in narcissism tend to have a higher sense of grandiosity, can be manipulative and is not receptive to criticism.
Self-esteem can be measured using the "social status" and "social inclusion" scales, but the former is the only significant indicator of narcissism.
Studies done have shown that narcissism is not correlated to the need to be accepted by social others.
Category(s):Personality problems, Self-Esteem
Source material from Psychology Today
