Think of your friendly neighborhood narcissist. Status-seeking, grandiose, loud-mouthed, brash, and flamboyant. Have you ever noticed how he (or she) brags all the time, not only about his astronomical I.Q. and bulging pectoral muscles, but also about the fact that he is narcissistic? It's as if he is proud of it.

Unsurprisingly, they found that narcissists think they are hot stuff. Those scoring high in narcissism tended to rate themselves as more intelligent, physically attractive, likeable, and funny than others. Interestingly, they also rated themselves as having higher levels of negative aspects of narcissism, such as being power-oriented, impulsive, arrogant, and prone to exaggerate their abilities! Therefore, narcissists are aware they are narcissists.

Narcissists don't seem to care whether they are perceived as good people; they'd rather be admired than liked

The researchers also found that new acquaintances viewed narcissists more positively than well acquainted others. Those who just met the narcissists did tend to have a favorable impression of the narcissists, whereas those who knew the narcissists much longer tended to have a much more negative impression of the narcissists.

It's well known that narcissists rarely change, mostly because they don't want to change. They love their lifestyle. Researchers trying to reform narcissists have noted that a major impediment is their lack of self-awareness. They have speculated that if narcissists received true feedback, they would change. The Carlson and colleagues' study suggests this is not the case. Narcissists are fully aware they are narcissistic and have a narcisstic reputation.

Instead, the researchers suggest that a better intervention would be to "emphasize the interpersonal and intrapsychic costs of being seen as narcissistic by others" Narcissists are unlikely to change unless they think changing will benefit the things they desire, such as status and power.

Narcissists are unlikely to change unless they think changing will benefit the things they desire, such as status and power.