Interpersonal and intrapsychic adaptiveness of trait self-enhancement: a mixed blessing?
Reactions to trait self-enhancers were investigated in 2 longitudinal studies of person perception in discussion groups. Groups of 4-6 participants met 7 times for 20 min. After Meetings 1 and 7, group members rated their perceptions of one another. In Study 1, trait self-enhancement was indexed by measures of narcissism and self-deceptive enhancement. At the first meeting, self-enhancers made positive impressions. They were seen as agreeable, well adjusted, and competent. After 7 weeks, however, they were rated negatively and gave self-evaluations discrepant with peer evaluations they received. In Study 2, an independent sample of observers (close acquaintances) enabled a pretest index of discrepancy self-enhancement: It predicted the same deteriorating pattern of interpersonal perceptions as the other three trait measures. Nonetheless, all self-enhancement measures correlated positively with self-esteem.
Paulhus
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DL
Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. delp1@interchg.ubc.ca
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D008192:Deception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009289:Narcissism; D010379:Peer Group; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D012928:Social Desirability; D013997:Time Factors