All Narcissists Have 5 Qualities That Make Us HATE Them Over Time

A study points out our natural reaction to narcissists.

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There's music that the more I listen to it, the more I like it. With narcissists, the opposite is true — the more exposure one has to a narcissist (and their true personalities start to come out), the less we like them.

An article in The Scientific American talks about how, for narcissists, popularity doesn't last. Narcissists have some qualities that make us like them... at first:

  1. They're generally attractive and take care in their appearance. You're never going to see a narcissist in a stained shirt and torn jeans. 
  2. They're almost always confident and self-assured. It's comforting to be around someone who's so sure of everything.
  3. They know how to work a crowd. And they make sure they've acknowledged everyone in a way that's warm and charming.
  4. They have a great sense of humor. Most narcissists know how to break the ice with a joke or a funny story.

One of the signs of a narcissist is that they are fantastic at making a great first impression but suck at sustaining relationships.

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The problem is that narcissists also possess some not-so-attractive qualities like:

  1. An inflated sense of entitlement
  2. An overwhelming need for admiration
  3. Extreme vanity
  4. The belief that they're special
  5. Masters of manipulation

RELATED: How To Leave A Narcissist

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Once you catch on to who the narcissist really is, you'll want to stay far away. They aren't interested in your life and love the sound of their own voices so much that they don't listen to anybody else (though they're pretty good at faking listening).

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With narcissists, it's all about them unless something goes wrong. Then, it's someone else's fault.

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Research led by psychologist Mitja Back showed that narcissists are more short-term orientated, looking for immediate admiration rather than mutual liking.

Narcissists are more popular with zero acquaintances because of the charismatic cues they produce. When people first meet them, they thin-slice (making a quick decision about someone with very little information) and form an impression about the narcissist without any further knowledge.


RELATED: Was Your Ex Insane? How To INSTANTLY Spot A Sociopath Or Narcissist


W. Keith Campbell, PhD, and Stacy Campbell developed a new model of narcissism in which they discuss the emerging zone (involving situations involving unacquainted individuals, early-stage relationships, and short-term associations), and the enduring zone (involving situations of people who already know each other, continuing relationships, and long-term consequences).

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It's in the enduring zone that narcissists start decreasing in popularity. As a relationship develops, more of the signs of a narcissist start to come out such as their arrogance and aggression. 

Another study by Mitja Back tracked changes in narcissistic popularity over time. The research found that narcissists have an overarching goal of maintaining a grandiose sense of self, which is supported by narcissistic admiration (assertive self-enhancement) and narcissistic rivalry (antagonistic self-protection).

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Narcissistic admiration explained initial popularity, while a decrease narcissistic admiration and an increase in narcissistic rivalry over time was responsible for a decline in popularity. 

In other words, it doesn't take long for people to find narcissists untrustworthy, and, in turn, the narcissist's instinct to exploit others (to feed their sense of entitlement) will rear its ugly, egotistical head. And that doesn't exactly help make people think of them in a good light.


RELATED: 20 EXTREMELY Brutal Signs You're In Love With A Narcissist


Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and teacher who loves writing and performing personal narratives. She's had pieces in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Woman's Day, Purple Clover, Bustle, and is a regular contributor to Ravishly and YourTango. Check out her website or her Facebook page.

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