top of page

Toward Circumplex Model of Narcissism

Date: 1.02.2018 - 20.03.2025

Introduction: This project is financed by National Science Centre, Poland (grant no: 2017/26/E/HS6/00282). The research aim of the project is to establish a new comprehensive model of narcissism, i.e., the Circumplex Model of Narcissism (CMN), based on the distinction between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and agentic-communal model of (grandiose) narcissism.

Methods: Self-report, peer-report, circumplex analyses, multilevel modeling, longitudinal studies, diary studies

Results: 

​

Communal narcissism could be broken down into narcissistic sanctity (self-enhancement) and saviorism/heroism (self-protection).

Circumplex model of narcissism is comprised by eight octants, corresponding to already known NARC, VIEC, and communal narcissism models.

Narcissistic fusion and servility is a lacking element in the narcissistic personality circumplex.

​​

  1. Kowalski, E., Brud, P., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2025). Falcons or pigeons? Grandiose narcissism, personal values, and attitudes toward war and peace. Personality and Individual Differences, 241, 113183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113183

  2. Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Piotrowski, J., Sawicki, A., Sedikides, C., Skowroński, J. J., Cieciuch, J., Strus, W., & Jonason, P. K. (2025). Re-assessing communal narcissism: The Narcissistic Sanctity and Heroism Concept. SSRN Working Paper. https://ssrn.com/abstr

  3. Brzóska, P., Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Piotrowski, J., Nowak, B., Jonason, P. K., Sedikides, C., … Yahiiaiev, I. (2024). Testing the underlying structure of unfounded beliefs about COVID-19 around the world. Thinking & Reasoning, 30(2), 301–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/13546783.2023.2259539

  4. Jovanović, V., Rundević, M., … Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2024). A cross-cultural evaluation of Diener’s tripartite model of subjective well-being across 16 countries. Journal of Happiness Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-024-00781-4

  5. Sękowski, M., Piotrowski, J., Nowak, B., Maltby, J., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2024). Which narcissists are more stressed? The link between narcissistic forms and stress experience in a five-day diary study. SSRN Working Paper. https://ssrn.com/abstract=5026821

  6. Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Sawicki, A., Piotrowski, J., et al. (2024a). Agentic collective narcissism and communal collective narcissism: Do they predict COVID-19 pandemic-related beliefs and behaviors? Journal of Research in Personality, 113, 104542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2024.104542

  7. Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Sawicki, A., Piotrowski, J., et al. (2024b). Grandiose narcissism, unfounded beliefs, and behavioral reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 67954. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-67954-2

  8. Balcerowska, J., & Sawicki, A. (2022). Which aspects of narcissism are related to social-networking-sites addiction? The role of self-enhancement and self-protection. Personality and Individual Differences, 190, 111530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111530

  9. Jovanović, V., Rudnev, M., … Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., & Žukauskienė, R. (2022). The Satisfaction with Life Scale in adolescent samples: Measurement invariance across 24 countries and regions, age, and gender. Applied Research in Quality of Life. Advance online publication.

  10. Nowak, B., Brzóska, P., Piotrowski, J., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2022). Narcissism and personal values: Investigation into agentic, antagonistic, communal, and neurotic facets of narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 184, 111167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111167

  11. Sawicki, A., Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Balcerowska, J., … (2022). The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Its structure and measurement invariance across 48 countries. Psychological Assessment, 34, 294–310. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001102

  12. Datu, J. A., McInerney, D. M., Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., Hitokoto, H., & Datu, N. (2021). Is grittiness next to happiness? Examining the association of triarchic model of grit dimensions with well-being outcomes. Journal of Happiness Studies, 22, 981–1009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00260-6

  13. Gąsiorowska, W., Sioch, M., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2021). Narcissism, social support, and loneliness during the pandemic. Personality and Individual Differences, 181, 111002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111002

  14. Sękowski, M., Subramanian, Ł., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2021). Are narcissists resilient? Examining grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in the context of a three-dimensional model of resilience. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01577-y

  15. Subramanian, Ł., Sękowski, M., & Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. (2020). Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS), Behavioral Activation System (BAS), and grandiose facets of narcissism. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00927-6

  16. Szymczak, P., Sawicki, A., & Jaworski, M. (2020). How narcissists see the social world? Trust, cynicism, and the trifurcated model of narcissism. Current Psychology, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01215-z

  17. Kwiatkowska, M., Jułkowski, T., Rogoza, R., Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M., & Fatfouta, R. (2019). Narcissism and trust: Differential impact of agentic, antagonistic, and communal narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 137, 139–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.08.027

bottom of page