Complete 8 page APA formatted essay: Narcissism and Romantic Relationship.As far as romantic behavior is concerned studies conducted by Foster et al, 2006. Le, 2005. and Finkel et al, 2009, go to show

Complete 8 page APA formatted essay: Narcissism and Romantic Relationship.

As far as romantic behavior is concerned studies conducted by Foster et al, 2006. Le, 2005. and Finkel et al, 2009, go to show how the main aim of narcissists as far as relationship formation is concerned is to enhance their self-esteem instead of the want to experience intimacy. Also that their inability to commit is due to their need to maintain power and autonomy. Building on this notion Campbell and Foster, 2002, conducted research to analyze the impact of narcissism on commitment in ongoing romantic relationships. Furthermore as far as the romantic attraction of narcissistic individuals is concerned Campbell, 1999, introduced a working model that showed how narcissists are highly likely to be attracted to individuals who are not just highly positive but also those who tend to admire them extensively. Title Introduction The Roman poet Ovid highlights an ancient Greek myth which narrates the story of Narcissus, the protagonist who falls in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. This can clearly be looked at as a tale of romantic attraction. The handsome youth who scouts the globe to find the one who he deems worthy of his love. Eventually, coming across his own reflection and becoming so enamored with the flawless replication of his image that he declares his aversion to commitment to anyone else but himself. The vast amount of research conducted on narcissism indicates that modern narcissists undergo a similar aversion to intimacy as that of the mythical Narcissus. In this essay a basic understanding of the concept of narcissism and an analysis of the literature conducted on the subject will be conducted. Special attention will be paid to the literature that is related to narcissism in context to romantic relationships. Concept definition Narcissism can correctly be defined as the personality trait in which individuals tend to undergo an inflation of their sense of control and autonomy. This has a direct impact on their perception of how intelligent, attractive and appealing they are (Brown & Hill, 2004). Not just that, there is a tendency in these individuals to perceive themselves as being unique and superior (Emmons, 1984). Furthermore, Campbell et al, 2004, refer to the notion that these individuals also experience a sense of entitlement. more specifically, they believe that they deserve added benefits and special attention. It is due to these tendencies that they tend to be more defensive and prone to aggression and distress when they are criticized. It is also why they care little of the needs of others, displaying a purely egocentric perspective. Narcissism can also be conceptualized as a personality disorder. Historically, it has been viewed in a number of ways including paraphilia, pathological self-love, heightened introversion and a personality type. However the focus of the research is purely on narcissism as a personality disorder and its implications on romantic relationships. The Narcissistic frame of mind Research shows that majority of times individuals that exhibit narcissism often view themselves as influential, competent, and self-sufficient but also feel that they are disliked by others instead of being readily accepted as unique and special. Consistent with this notion, is research undertaken by Baldwin that showed that narcissistic individuals often perceive their