Roommate narcissism & satisfaction

Running head: NARCISSISM IN ROOMMATE RELATIONSHIPS 1

Narcissism, Communication Competence, and Relational Satisfaction

in Roommate Relationships

Abstract

Narcissism, an elevated view of one’s self, can be dysfunctional in ongoing relationships.

We explored relationships between narcissism, communication competence, and reports of

relational satisfaction among roommates. One hundred seven dyads (44% male) completed actor-

observer reports of the Narcissism Personality Inventory, and one roommate also completed

Rubin and Martin’s Interpersonal Communication Competence scale and Hendrick’s

Relationship Assessment Scale referring to the roommate. There was a substantial correlation

between actor and observer reports of narcissism (r = .57), small correlation between perceived

narcissism and relational satisfaction (r = -.25), and roommates who planned to continue the

relationship indicated lower narcissism. Sex make-up of the dyads had no impact on perceptions

of narcissism, competence, or satisfaction. The relationships among narcissism and diverse

components of competence consistently reflected positive associations with some aspects of

competence, e.g., social relaxation, but negative associations with others, e.g., empathy. These

analyses are congruent with existing literature and extend the narcissistic construct into

communication and dyadic roommate relationships.

Keywords: narcissism, communication competence, relational satisfaction

NARCISSISM IN ROOMMATE RELATIONSHIPS 2

Narcissism, Communication Competence, and Relational Satisfaction

in Roommate Relationships

Communicators who are “narcissistic” are regularly discussed, but the ramifications and

communication components of the pattern are not well understood. Narcissism was defined by

Raskin and Terry (1988) as “self-admiration that is characterized by tendencies toward grandiose

ideas, fantasied talents, exhibitionism, and defensiveness in response to criticism” (p. 896). The

fascination with this personality dimension has developed within field of Psychology for

decades, only to recently be considered as a viable domain among Communication scholars

(Aviram & Amichai-Hamburger, 2005; Bergman, Fearrington, Davenport, & Bergman, 2011).

Our daily interpersonal interactions are fueled by individual personality traits that can either

cultivate or undermine important relationships, so it is essential to understand how narcissism

affects our interpersonal perceptions in close relationships.

No matter the stage of life, when cohabitating with another person, personality traits

grow increasingly difficult to mask. Therefore narcissism, at its peak classified as a personality

disorder (Buss & Chiodo, 1991), is very salient in roommate relationships, even at sub-clinical

levels. Given that the prosocial factors of narcissism (e.g., tendencies to charm and

entertain),conflict so strongly with the antisocial tendency to manipulate and evade closeness,

questions remain about the relationship between narcissism and others’ perceptions of a

narcissist’s communicative competence, and subsequently reports of relational satisfaction with a

narcissist.

Narcissism

Severely underdeveloped in the field of Communication, most of what is understood

about narcissism has been developed in Psychology. To this point scholars have reported positive


relationships between narcissism and extraversion (Holtzman, Vazire, & Mehl, 2010; Raskin &

Hall, 1981), aggression (Bushman & Baumeister, 1998), anger after rejection (Twenge &

Campbell, 2003), and psychoticism (Raskin & Hall, 1981), and a negative relationship with

agreeableness (Holtzman et al., 2010). These empirical reports highlight the narcissist’s ability to

attract others through socially desirable behaviors, followed by the difficulty in building

relationships after the first impression, when undesirable communication behaviors emerge. This

background supports Morf and Rhodewalt’s (2001) narcissistic paradox that claims, “as

[narcissists] yearn and reach for self-affirmation, they destroy the very relationships on which

they are dependent” (p. 179).Narcissism in interpersonal relationships may be recognized

through expressions of entitlement, exploitation, and a lack of empathy (Raskin & Terry, 1988).

The narcissistic paradox can be functional in meeting the needs of a narcissist if that

individual can motivate the companion to stay in the relationship without an increase in cost to

the narcissist. However when cohabitating with a narcissist, the trait-like behaviors (e.g.,

entitlement and exploitation) should become increasingly apparent to his or her roommate

regardless of the roommate’s own level of narcissism. Morf and Rhodewalt (2001) classify the

internal narcissistic system as automatically operating “in a chronically vigilant state to detect

opportunities for self-enhancement or potential departures from self-affirmation” (p. 188). This

statement suggests that the roommate should begin to notice a pattern of antisocial behavior and

will potentially lose interest in investing further into the relationship. When this occurs, the

narcissist will begin to notice a decline in rewards and reciprocate a loss of interest in the

relationship, soon transitioning dependence to a new companion. Considering these implications,

the length of cohabitation should be inversely related to narcissism scores.

H1: There will be a negative relationship between partner reports of roommate (actor)


narcissism and length of cohabitation.

Attribution Bias

Attribution Theory (Emmons, 1987) explains the likelihood for people to seek credit for

positive outcomes and place blame for outcomes that are negative. Scholars have also recognized

the cognitive aspect of the theory claiming the attributor understands attributional implications

when deciding to take credit or place blame (Mizerski, Golden, &Kernan, 1979). In a roommate

dyad where conflict may be inevitable, the attribution bias should begin to take a toll early in the

relationship. Considering the presumed tendency for narcissists to employ negative attribution

biases in support of their self-presentational concerns (Harvey & Weary, 1984; McCullough,

Emmons, Kilpatrick, & Mooney, 2003; Raskin & Terry, 1988), these biases not only have the

potential to affect roommate relationships, but also participant responses on self-report surveys.

Canary and Spitzberg (1990) note two attribution biases that are relevant to data

collection, salience and actor-observer bias. Salience is the tendency to reference more extreme,

undesirable communicative behaviors when reporting about another person rather than relying

on less noticeable behaviors that align with interpersonal expectations (Canary &Spitzberg,

1990). The actor-observer bias is the tendency to excuse one’s own behavior with contextual

details while neglecting a similar courtesy for the partner (Canary &Spitzberg, 1990). In

recognition of these biases, the current study will collect both actor and partner reports of

narcissism to measure for (in)congruencies, and only partner reports of perceived communicative

competence and relational satisfaction. While the current study will test for actor-partner

agreement, it should be noted that previous research has found high correlations between peer

ratings and self-reports of narcissism (Emmons, 1984; 1987).

H2: There will be a positive relationship between actor and partner reports of narcissism.


Communication Competence and Roommate Satisfaction

“Interpersonal communication competence is an impression or judgment formed about a

person’s ability to manage interpersonal relationships in communication settings” (p. 33; Rubin

& Martin, 1994). During the relational development process, members of an interpersonal

relationship build internal understandings of one another then employ cues during interactions to

communicate understanding and outline the relationship (Weger & Canary, 2010). Furthermore,

absence of communication is related to negative perceptions of roommates, which tends to

inhibit relational growth (Weger & Canary, 2010). While Sillars (1980) maintains that a regular

pattern of information exchange will theoretically lead to conflict reduction, increased levels of

narcissism (both real and perceived) may not be conducive to relational satisfaction between

roommates.

Similar to the findings with narcissism, self-other assessments of general roommate

communication behaviors consistently report agreement, regardless of relational quality; this is

the first argument for why the current study collected actor-observer data. Kurtz and Sherker

(2003) found that accuracy in ratings among roommates was not sacrificed in poor relationships.

Interestingly, reports of a good relationship were related to higher ratings of other than self on

agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness and lower ratings of other than self on

neuroticism. Additionally, roommates who perceived higher levels of conscientiousness, the only

trait with a stand-alone positive correlation to relational quality, reported a stronger relationship

(Kurtz &Sherker, 2003).

Many of the traits examined by Kurtz and Sherker (2003) relate to communication

competence, and indirectly support earlier literature linking competence to satisfaction (Duran &

Zakahi, 1988). But interestingly extraversion is associated with both liking and narcissism (Kurtz


& Sherker). Here we see evidence of the paradoxical nature of narcissism and must consider the

many diverse, and potentially conflicting, ways this personality trait can be expressed.

Because narcissists use relationships for their own needs and to enhance their self-

esteem, they may be particularly communicatively skilled in early stages of relationships, but

less agreeable and charismatic as relationships proceed. For example, Martin and Anderson’s

(1995) findings that prosocially similar roommates report the most satisfaction and antisocial

similarities the least, suggest that two narcissists living together would be unlikely to report

relational satisfaction. Similarly, narcissists may undermine a relationship through use of

distributive or blaming conflict strategies, thought to be a sign of low competence levels

(Canary, Cupach, &Serpe, 2001). Because narcissists report low intimacy needs, and higher

abilities involving agentic traits than communal (Bradlee & Emmons, 1992; Campbell, Foster, &

Finkel, 2002), the question remains as to whether narcissists are skilled communicators in

ongoing relationships. It appears that narcissists are skilled at creating positive first impressions

but are particularly unskilled in maintaining relationships.

H3: There will be a negative relationship between partner perceptions of actor narcissism

and perceptions of communication competence.

Many aspects of the narcissism trait suggest poor relational outcomes. For example,

narcissists tend to be competitive in relationships, and Singleton and Vacca (2007) found a

negative association between competition and friendship satisfaction in both same-sex and cross-

sex relationships, reported by both men and women. Narcissists also tend to act in an angry

manner if rejected or thwarted (Bushman & Baumeister, 1998; Twenge & Campbell, 2003).

When a partner is sufficiently aware of the roommate’s narcissism to rate the individual

high on the NPI, this indicates that the partner notices a series of unfavorable, antisocial


behaviors. Add to this the noted game-playing relational style (Cambell, et al., 2002) and it

would be expected that this person would be less than satisfied in his or her roommate

relationship. Considering the current literature on narcissism, the personality trait should be

inversely related to relational satisfaction, regardless of perceptions of competence.

H4: There will be a negative relationship between partner perceptions of actor narcissism

and partner reports of relational satisfaction.

Although previous research has tested for sex differences in narcissistic tendencies,

conclusive evidence has yet to be reported. Holtzman et al., (2010) reported only insignificant

and slight differences between males and females in narcissism. Foster, Campbell, and Twenge

(2003) report that males consistently score slightly higher than females on the NPI. Interestingly,

Buss and Chiodo (1991) found differences in the ways that males and females express

narcissism, men through a lack of empathy and women through high concerns regarding

physical appearance. The current study will not only test for differences in narcissism, but will

also examine dyadic sex composition (i.e. male-male, female-female, and male-female) effects

on the major variables.

RQ1: Will partner perceptions of narcissism be modified by the sex of the actor?

RQ2: Will sex composition of the dyad modify any of the three perceptions (i.e.,

narcissism, communicative competence, and/or relational satisfaction)?

Method

Procedural Rationale

Previous research has reported that actor-partner agreement is not related to level of

friendship (Kurtz &Sherker, 2003; McCrae, Stone, Fagan, & Costa, 1998; Paunonen, 1989;

Watson, 1989; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000) indicating that accuracy should not be

compromised if the roommates are not friends. It is important to note that social desirability has


also appeared to be unimportant in ratings of both friends and strangers (Kurtz &Sherker, 2003;

Paunonen, 1989), therefore the item valence in the narcissism scale should not impact results.

However, Morf and Rhodewalt (2001) reported (somewhat unsurprisingly) that narcissists

consider themselves to be interpersonally successful; hence this study does not collect the actor’s

self-reports of communication competence. This study employs an actor-partner methodology,

with both respondents assessing traits and responses of the roommate.

Participants

One hundred seven roommate dyads were examined. These were composed of 214

undergraduate students (97 males, 116 females, and one participant did not indicate sex) enrolled

in large communication studies classes at a large mid-Atlantic university. Only students who

were currently living with at least one other person were asked to participate. Dyads in this study

included 38 male-male, 21 cross-sex, 47 female-female, and one unknown composition. Seventy

three dyads claimed to be friends, 13 were dating at the time of collection, five were blood

relatives, and four dyads classified as strictly roommates. Eighty-seven dyads were roommates

by choice while 20 dyads were assigned as roommates. The average age of the participants was

20.79 years and the average duration of the roommate relationship was 14.42 months).

Research Procedures

After reading a consent form and accepting the conditions, participants (partner;

participant A) were asked to think of one roommate, same- or cross-sex,with whom they

currently live who would be able to participate in the second portion of the study. They then

completed the questionnaire with that roommate (actor; participant B) in mind. Participant A was

then directed through a 3-part questionnaire rating Participant B on narcissism and

communication competence, followed by a self-report of relational satisfaction with the actor


(participant B).Once that survey was completed, Participant A was given an envelope with the

narcissism instrument, and instructions to have his or her roommate, Participant B, complete it

independently as a self-report. Upon completion, the envelope was sealed and returned to the

researcher. Surveys were coded prior to data collection and were matched with the proper code

number upon return.

Measures

Narcissism.In 1981, Raskin and Hall developed the original Narcissistic Personality

Inventory (NPI) designed to measure narcissism with 54 forced choice items assessing an

individual’s personality. Initially reporting four dimensions, a reassessment of the scale removed

14 items from the instrument and found that seven factors carried a significant amount of

variance (i.e. Authority, Self-sufficiency, Superiority, Exhibitionism, Exploitativeness, Vanity, and

Entitlement; Raskin& Terry, 1988). This form of the scale correlated at .98 with the original 54-

item scale, indicating that a more concise, yet equally effective, instrument had been developed.

As the most popular scale measuring narcissism, this version of the NPI has maintained strong

reliabilities with ever-increasing evidence for validity since its inception (e.g., Buss & Chiodo,

1991; Raskin& Shaw, 1988), contributing to a generalizable understanding of narcissism across

contexts.

Raskin and Terry’s (1988) NPI was administered in two forms (i.e., actor and partner).

The internal reliabilities of this 40-item forced-choice instrument have varied at a consistently

acceptable level (e.g., =.85, and = .83) in recent reports of the measure (Bergman et al.,

2011; Holtzman et al., 2010). Items were re-worded for the partner version of the scale. An

example of the actor/Participant B self-report version is, “I like to be the center of attention,”

while the partner/Participant A scale (other-report) read, “My roommate likes to be the center of


attention.”

The self-report version of the NPI was reliable at = .86 with a mean of 18.65 out of a

maximum possible score of 40 (SD = 7.58). The other-report of the NPI exhibited an internal

reliabilityof = .87 with mean score of 19.67 (SD = 7.99).

Communication Competence. Rubin and Martin’s (1994) 30-item Interpersonal

Communication Competence scale measures 10 subconstructs: self-disclosure, empathy, social

relaxation, assertiveness, altercentrism, interaction management, expressiveness, supportiveness,

immediacy, and environmental control. This scale was carefully selected because the dimensions

appear to correspond to Narcissism. It utilizes a 5-step format (1 = Almost Never to 5 = Almost

Always), and internal reliability from the seminal piece was reported at = .86. This

Communication Competence scale obtained a reliability of = .85 with a scale mean of 104.67

(SD = 13.97) out of a maximum of 210.

Relational Satisfaction. Hendrick’s (1988) Relationship Assessment Scale (α = .86) was

altered for this study to apply to roommate relationships. The original 7-item scale was shortened

to a 4-item scale, omitting three items that were specifically designed to assess a romantic

relationship. Items are on a 5-step format, and this reduced Relational Satisfaction scale was

reliable at = .89 with a scale mean of 15.75 (SD = 4.08).

Results

Hypothesis One predicted a negative relationship between perceptions of narcissism and

length of cohabitation. Correlational analysis did not support this prediction (r = .03, p = .75).

However, because of the nature of semester-long arrangements among college students, the

analysis was simplified to intention to continue the roommate relationship. A post hoc t-test was

conducted to test differences in intentions to live with the roommate in the future by ratings of


narcissism. Those respondents with intentions to continue the roommate relationship reported

lower Narcissism scores for their roommate (M = 18.69, SD = 7.49) than those who planned to

terminate the roommate relationship (M = 22.56, SD = 8.85); t (97) = 2.13, p = .04.

The second hypothesis predicted a positive relationship between partner perceptions of

roommate narcissism and actor self-reports of the same construct. A correlation showed a fairly

large and significant relationship r = .57, p = <.01. This finding supports claims that there is

consistent agreement between actor and observer reports of narcissism. This suggests that

narcissistic behaviors are enacted through highly observable actions (Emmons, 1984), and that

the NPI does not evidence a strong social desirability bias.

Hypothesis three predicted a negative relationship between partner perceptions of

roommate narcissism and partner perceptions of roommate communication competence. This

hypothesis was not supported (r = .04, p = .67), and may reflect the diverse ways narcissism is

enacted. Perhaps narcissism is more heavily associated with certain competence components

than others. Follow-up analyses revealed this to be true. Narcissism significantly related to

Social Relaxation(r = .21) , Assertiveness(r = .27), Interaction Management,(r = .24) and

Environmental Control (r = .29), all in a positive directions. Narcissism was negatively related to

Altercentrism (r = -.31) and Supportiveness (r = -.28)and demonstrated a strong trend with

Empathy (r = .-20; p = .05).Thus, narcissism was overall related in predictable directions to

multiple aspects of communication competence.

Hypothesis four predicted a negative relationship between partner reports of roommate

narcissism and partner reports of relational satisfaction. This hypothesis was supported with a

small but significant negative correlation (r = -.25, p = .05). While the relationship was in the

expected direction, this weak correlation may suggest that the manipulative tendencies of


narcissists may assist in maintaining perceptions of relational satisfaction in the mind of

roommates while internalizing selfish motives.

The first research question addressed sex differences in perceptions of roommate

narcissism. Results from a t-test showed that males rated their roommates as slightly, but not

significantly, higher (M = 20.48) than females rated roommates on narcissism (M = 19.02).

The second research question inquired about differences between reports of narcissism,

communication competence, and relational satisfaction among different sex compositions in

roommate dyads. Results of a MANOVA did not reveal significant differences, F (3, 184) =

1.18, p = .32. This suggests that sex-composition of roommate dyads does not have consistent

effects on perceptions of any of the three variables measured in this study.

Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine narcissistic patterns from a communication

perspective, and how communication competence and relational satisfaction may be involved

with this trait in roommate situations. Since narcissists are adept at creating images and drawing

people to them in order to support their own self-image, narcissists tend to be socially skilled. In

fact, though not examined here, it is probable that they are quite effective in their affinity-

seeking skills. But as relationships continue, narcissists may evidence poorer adaptation, worse

management of conflict, and a decline in relationship satisfaction ensues. The important links to

communication variables in this study build our knowledge of narcissism, and take initial steps

to extend the construct into the field of communication studies.

Several findings shed light on possible relationship problems among narcissists. For

example, people with more narcissistic roommates were less likely to plan on continuing the

relationship. Although there was no correlation between perceptions of roommate narcissism and


absolute length of roommate relationship, the absence of a direct association may be explained

by the paradoxical nature of narcissism(Raskin & Hall, 1981; Twenge, et al, 2008). Research has

found that narcissists tend to be particularly skilled at reaping many rewards, but manipulating

situations to make the relationship appear to be more mutually beneficial for as long as they can.

Hence there may be no interactional or resource challenge until the relationship is well-

established.

Narcissistic traits may be recognized early and roommates opt out, or alternatively they

may be lulled into continuing until the relationship becomes unbearable. The academic calendar

at universities generally allots multiple weeks for breaks and vacations, accounting for more than

four months that many students are likely to spend away from their roommate. Future research

should sample a population that poses a greater chance of extended length of roommate

situations, with fewer opportunities for roommate changes.

Still, narcissism levels did differentiate between individuals who intend to live with their

roommate in the future and individuals who plan to terminate the relationship, thus supporting

the original prediction in hypothesis one. The findings here suggest that if given a choice,

roommates would not typically opt to continue roommate relationships with narcissists.

The moderate positive relationship between actor and partner reports of narcissism

supports existing literature on narcissism. Even though Narcissism is not a positive attribute, it is

recognizable and there is a general agreement between one’s own and others’ reports of this trait.

Nevertheless, while the responses tend to coincide on some level, the moderate relationship lends

support for collecting the perceptions of both the actor and the observer. If the correlation were

extremely high, the need for both reports may be rendered unnecessary. The collection of both

the partners’ reports of narcissism can mitigate personal biases, enhancing our understanding of


the differing relationship perspectives.

The third hypothesis predicted a negative correlation between communication

competence and perceptions of roommate narcissism, but this was not supported for the entire

competence scale as a unit. This may be due in part to the narcissist’s ability to manipulate

interpersonal relationships and individual interactions. When separate dimensions of the

competence scale are analyzed, however, they correspond in predicted directions with

Narcissism. Perceived Narcissism was positively associated with social relaxation, assertiveness,

interaction management, and environmental control, but negatively associated with empathy,

altercentrism, and supportiveness. This pattern clearly recognizes a self-serving interaction style.

But we also note, reinforcing Twenge et al. (2003), that these characteristics are not uniformly

negative, and may be quite productive in some situations. The concept of narcissistic

communication is indeed paradoxical.

Nevertheless, for relationship satisfaction narcissistic behavior appears to be somewhat

unproductive. There was a small (r = -.25) negative relationship between partner perceptions of

roommate narcissism and partner reports of relational satisfaction. It is expected that the more

blatantly self-serving the narcissist behaves, the less satisfied a roommate will be in the

relationship. To further investigate this potential outcome post hoc analysis was conducted to

explore the relationship between communication competence overall and relational satisfaction.

There was a substantial relationship (r = .59, p>.01), and given the small correlation between

narcissism and relational satisfaction, this suggests that competence is an important feature in

relationships among narcissists. If the narcissist is smooth enough to deceive a partner,

satisfaction may remain high. However, additional research is needed to support this idea.

Our data did not indicate that narcissists’ roommates will take action to remove


themselves from the living situation. To further explore this link, a post hoc analysis between

relational satisfaction and duration of relationship indicated no direct relationship (r = -.05, p =

.63). It is therefore not to be assumed that lower relational satisfaction with narcissists leads to an

immediate termination of the relationship. As reported in H4, there was a significant relationship

between perceptions of narcissism and relational satisfaction, and post hoc analysis found a

moderate and significant relationship between relational satisfaction and communication

competence. While there is no direct connection between perceptions of communication

competence and narcissism, this may suggest a mediated relationship.

Further research is needed to explore these variables within roommate dyads with longer

histories. As the research determines, narcissistic tendencies are not typically noticed until later

in the relationship so dyads in this sample may not be familiar enough to establish these

connections. However, the recruitment of roommate dyads in particular was rationalized by the

idea that these individuals would have a different type of interaction, negotiating shared space,

compared to close friends or romantic partners who do not cohabit.

This study also examined potential sex differences in perceptions of roommate

narcissism. The analysis did not report any significant differences between males and females in

other –reports on the NPI. (Note that Foster et al, (2003) found small but consistent differences

in narcissism, with males scoring higher (although the effects were quite small and their sample

was quite large.))

Research Question two focused on differences in reports of relational satisfaction,

communication competence, and partner reports of roommate narcissism between dyads of

different sex compositions (i.e. male-male, male-female, and female-female). There were no

significant differences in this 3 x 3 analysis. Initially one would be led to believe that the sex


composition of roommate dyads does not affect perceptions of narcissism, communication

competence, and arguably the most important, reports of relational satisfaction. Again however,

further research is needed to explore this idea. While the three groups of same-sex and cross-sex

dyads were represented in a relatively equal manner, the cell numbers were too low to have

sufficient power to reject the null.

Finally, it should be noted that the mean Narcissism scores in this sample were somewhat

higher than those reported by Twenge, et al. (2008) and Foster, et al., (2003), 17.3 and 15.2

respectively. It is not entirely clear why this should be true, although some analyses have

indicated Narcissism to be increasing over the years (e.g., Twenge & Foster, 2010).

Implications

The picture of narcissism in dyadic communicative interactions is somewhat complex.

Being a roommate of a narcissist may have advantages, but also disadvantages.

First, the expected negative link between narcissism and relational satisfaction was born

out, although the relationship was not strong. This may be due to the complex interrelationship

among narcissism and various dimensions of competence. Our current understanding of

oppositional dimensions within the narcissistic personality trait (e.g., Twenge, et al, 2008)

suggests this may be unsurprising for two reasons. Among the 40 items on the NPI, individuals

may perform combinations of those behaviors with varying prevalence and blatancy. Different

combinations may have diverse impact. In other words, some combinations of narcissistic

elements may prove productive in roommate relationships. Second, when examined by

competence dimensions, the NPI exhibited predictable relationships with most of the variables.

That is, more narcissistic roommates were viewed as self-centered and less supportive, but better

at taking care of their own needs via managing interactions, being assertive, and socially at ease.


(There were no relationships with the dimensions of disclosure, immediacy, and expressivity.)

These findings are quite consistent with Shimotsu and Booth-Butterfield’s results with romantic

dyads (2010), where Narcissism was positively associated with three anti-social relational

maintenance strategies; jealousy, spying, and destructive conflict. Hence, Narcissists may be

quite competent with social or work interactions, where superficial engagement is accepted.

However, in closer interpersonal relationships, where interdependence, other-orientation,

sharing, and commitment are expected, Narcissists may struggle.

Because relationships are composed of separate individuals, one strength of this study

was the use of multiple perspectives. Such measurement affords a more complete picture of the

role perceived narcissism plays in roommate communication. The substantial correlation

between self-reported and perceived narcissism suggests a clearly observable pattern – worthy of

continued attention from communication researchers. Most relevant to NPI measurement issues

specifically, is the moderate relationship between actor and observer scores on the measure (r =

.57). Some literature suggested a stronger relationship, perhaps to the point that it would be

unnecessary to collect both accounts. However, the results here indicate that, although positively

correlated, responses were not identical, and multiple perspectives enhance our information.

One clear implication from this study is that although narcissism scores were not

correlated with length of relationship, there were differences in intentions to continue the

relationship. This supports what is currently understood about the interpersonal relationships of

narcissists by suggesting that narcissistic behaviors wear on the relationship and do not foster a

long-term commitment between roommates. Nevertheless, Narcissists may fare well in

relationships and be forgiven even long-term, if they have many interpersonal resources and are

high value partners (Buss & Shackelford, 1997; Sidelinger, & Booth-Butterfield, 2007).


Overall, results from this study are consistent with the current psychological literature on

narcissism in non-clinical populations. There are both positive, as well as negative, implications

to narcissists’ interaction style. The extension into interpersonal communication competence

lends insight into the various ways narcissists can opt to enact manipulative behaviors and

manage interactions. Based on this study it appears that in these relatively brief relationships the

manipulative tendencies are only detected inconsistently, which offers a chance for more

productive patterns to develop. Future research is warranted to examine of narcissistic

communication in roommate relationships for the unique dialectical needs of closeness and

autonomy, and how those needs may be both fulfilled and disregarded by a narcissist.


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Roommate narcissism & satisfaction

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