Why Are We Attracted to Self Absorbed People? Unpacking the Appeal

Written By:

Written By:

Why Are We Attracted to Self Absorbed People 1

Being attracted to self absorbed people happens more often than you would believe. What is it about them that attracts us? Being attracted to self centered people is bad for us but still we find it hard to resist them. Letโ€™s find out why.

KEY POINTS

  • Self centered people can immediately attract others with visual and auditory cues.
  • Initial positive attractions to self focused people do not hold up over time.
  • People attracted to narcissistic people possess their own distinctive traits.

Self centered people can be seductive and lure others emotionally. They exist on a continuum from mildly self absorbed to full blown narcissistic personalities. They can exhibit great charisma and charm, be the life of the party and exude excitement. At first sight they can hook us. Commonly, we look and evaluate no further.

In 2015 D.S. Hasin and B.F. Grant reported that narcissistic personality disorder occurs in 6.2% of the population. Of those with narcissistic personality disorder, 7.7% are men, while 4.8% are women.

In 2010 Back, Schmukle, and Egloff studied college students using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Their goal was to study the initial attractiveness of narcissists and why others are so quickly attracted to them, even upon a first meeting. More on their findings later on.

Related: Why You Keep Attracting Toxic People (And How You Can Stop It)

Who Is Attracted to the Self Absorbed?

What is the emotional lure? Who is subject to it? Homer B. Martin, M.D., and I found complementarity in such attractions. The attractions are learned in childhood from parents. In 2011 S.H. Horton reported that narcissism is also learned in childhood from parents.

The self absorbed person at first seems very competent and capable. He or she presents a persona that is almost too good to be true, and it is. Underneath the persona resides a low-coping, helpless person who demands much support, attention, and constant admiration from others. This emerges once the emotional snare is set in the relationship.

The attracted person is adept at giving support, praise, and comfort. This person relishes dispensing care to needy, demanding, weaker, self centred people. At first the attracted person does not feel abused. Instead, they feel thrilled at the idea of tending to such a magnificent person.

The attracted person projects the magnificence onto the self centred person. The narcissistic person does not really possess such grandeur. The view is in the mind of the strong attracted person.

Attracted to self absorbed people

Traits of the Self Absorbed that are Attractive to Others

The study by Back, Schmukle and Egloff found that the following traits come into play in first attracting others to narcissistic people:

  • Their manipulativeness
  • Neat, fancy, or flashy clothes
  • Charming facial expressions
  • Confident body movements
  • Displays of verbal humor
  • A high sense of entitlement
  • An ability to exploit others.

All the traits ensure positive attraction to self absorbed people upon first meeting them. Our positive responses to self focused people likely reinforces narcissistsโ€™ view of themselves as being liked and even of being superior to others. This becomes positive feedback to self absorbed people.

Traits of Those Attracted to Self Absorbed People

In 2018, Homer B. Martin, M.D., and I reported on almost 4,000 people seen in dynamic psychotherapy over an 80-year period. We studied self absorbed people and those attracted to them. We discovered the being attracted role was also learned in childhood.

We learned the following traits are present in those attracted to self focused people:

  • Being adept at giving emotional support to others.
  • Dispensing praise and comfort to others.
  • Rationalizing that narcissistic people are needy and require inordinate attention and care.
  • Paying attention to self absorbed people, which at first does not make them feel abused or exploited.
  • Being thrilled at the idea of tending to such magnificent people as the overly self involved.
  • Using projectionโ€“โ€“the grandeur of the narcissistic person is in the mind of an attracted person.

Related: 5 Reasons Why You Are Attracted To Toxic People

What Happens as the Relationship Progresses?

At first in the relationship, both people are as happy as clams. They fulfil roles they learned in childhood about expecting care and delivering care to others. Harmony reigns for a while. Then cracks in the relationship appear. The two people overlook red flags that portend problems, commonly rationalizing why the other person wonโ€™t disappoint them or repeat unwanted behaviours.

Over time the self absorbed person notices ways the attracted person disappoints him or her. The attracted person starts to burn out from the imbalance between emotional care expended and that received in the relationship.

The attracted person witnesses overly demanding self focused behaviours. An emotionally unbalanced stalemate ensues. Divorce, marital affairs, and co-existing in unsatisfied marriages can occur.

Self Focused Peopleโ€™s Seductions Outside of Romantic Relationships

Many people are magnets for self centred people. They get entangled repeatedly with self focused people in a variety of life scenarios. The same attractions are found in the larger world of work relationships, families, friendships. and politics.

Self centered people entice co-workers, friends, and voters with bombast and promises that are too good to be true. Over time the promises do not hold up.

Attracted to self absorbed people

How to Escape the Trap of Being Attracted to Self Absorbed People

Martin and I discovered it is necessary to first observe and not just go by immediate emotional reactions to a self centered person.

Secondly, one must think about what is a reasonable way to behave with such people. Do you indulge and give them everything they want? Do you expect emotional support for yourself commensurate with the emotional support you give to the other person? Is there balance in the relationship?

Related: Why Are We Attracted To People Who Are Wrong For Us?

Here are some tips to help yourself:

  • Recognize that brief first encounters will cause you to falsely evaluate self focused people as attractive based on visual and auditory cues.
  • Take your time in assessing others. Do not let first impressions hook you into problematic relationships.
  • Meet people over several occasions to see what they are like over time.
  • Grasp how and when you project your salutary traits onto self absorbed people when they do not possess them. Such traits may exist in youโ€“โ€“kindness, considerateness, helpfulness.

Check out her website to see more blogs, podcasts and articles. Also, donโ€™t forget to check out her amazing book, Living on Automatic: How Emotional Conditioning Shapes Our Lives and Relationships.

Living on Automatic: How Emotional Conditioning Shapes Our Lives and Relationships Book

References:

Back, MD, Schmukle, SC, Egloff, B (2010), Why are narcissists so charming at first sight? Decoding the narcissism-popularity link at zero acquaintance, J of Personality & Social Psychology, 98 (1): 132-145.
Hasin, DS & Grant, BF (2015) The national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions (NESARC) waves 1 and 2: Review and summary of findings. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50: 1609-40.
Horton, SH (2011) Parenting as a cause of narcissism: empirical support for psychodynamic and social learning theories. In The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Theoretical Approaches, Empirical Findings, and Treatments (eds WK Campbell, JD Miller): 181-90. John Wiley & Sons.
Martin, HB, Adams, CBL (2018)ย Living on Automatic: How Emotional Conditioning Shapes Our Lives and Relationships, Praeger/Bloomsbury.
Yakeley, J (2018) Current understanding of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder, British J Psych Advances, 24(5) 305-315.

Written By Christine B. L. Adams M.D.
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today
attracted to self centered people

— Share —

Published On:

Last updated on:

,

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

8 Subtle Signs Youโ€™re Dealing with a Covert Narcissist (And How to Handle Them!)

Subtle Signs of a Covert Narcissist You Need to Know to Save Yourself

You may know how to spot a narcissist, but identifying a covert narcissist can be tricky. Here are some signs of a covert narcissist that you need to look out for!

At first glance, they might seem like the perfect friend or colleague, always willing to help and never asking for much in return. But as you spend more time around them, something starts to feel off. They subtly fish for compliments, often downplay their own achievements, but expect recognition in return.

And when they don’t get the praise they think they deserve, they may act hurt or withdraw but without openly saying it. Well, this person has the signs of a covert narcissist!

Up Next

6 Phases Of A Relationship With A Narcissist: The Emotional Rollercoaster

Relationship With A Narcissist Phases Of The Toxic Cycle

Being in a relationship with a narcissist can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, with each phase presenting new challenges and realizations. These phases of a narcissistic relationship leave you questioning your self-worth. Understanding these stages can help you navigate the ups and downs of a narcissistic relationship more effectively.

KEY POINTS

Narcissists may manipulate through observation and charm, creating a false sense of bonding.

These relationships have distinct phases, often involving a gradual, potentially traumatizing end.

Understanding these phases aids in healing and setting boundaries.

Up Next

8 Signs of a Petty Person Thatโ€™ll Have You Saying, โ€œWait, Really?โ€

Signs of Petty Person Thatll Have You Saying Wait Really

Do you ever get that feeling that you are the lead actor in a soap opera you didn’t sign up for? Do you think you are dealing with someone who is petty, by any chance?The signs of a petty person arenโ€™t always neon-lit, but once you spot them, youโ€™ll wonder how you missed it.

From holding grudges longer than your Netflix subscription to being the Sherlock Holmes of social media stalking, petty people have a unique way of spicing up life (not always in a good way).

So how do you know youโ€™re dealing with petty people? Letโ€™s break it down and start with trying to understand who is a petty person.

Related:

Up Next

10 Red Flags of a Vindictive Mother and How to Stay Strong

Red Flags of a Vindictive Mother and How to Stay Strong

So, who exactly is a โ€œvindictive motherโ€? Well, itโ€™s not just a mom whoโ€™s a little cranky or gives you the cold shoulder once in a while. Weโ€™re talking about those mothers who holds grudges, plays mind games, and never hesitates to make your life harder. Why? Because she can.

A vindictive mother is a malicious mother, who isnโ€™t your regular parentโ€”she is controlling, manipulative, and, at times, straight out cruel.

Do you feel like you have to walk on eggshells around her? If you answered yes, then chances are you have vindictive narcissist mother. So today we are going to explore what the signs of a toxic mum are and what you can do to handle her.

Related:

Up Next

Feeling Exhausted? 8 Signs of an Emotionally Draining Person to Look Out For

Signs of an Emotionally Draining Person to Look Out For

Have you ever hung out with someone and have left feeling like you just ran a 5k marathon without moving an inch? If you’re nodding along, this is just one of the many signs of an emotionally draining person.

These energy vampires are really talented when it comes to mentally exhausting you, even though you didn’t do anything but have a simple conversation.

Have there been times where you have felt completely wiped after a chat or hangout? Then maybe itโ€™s time to figure out if youโ€™re dealing with an emotionally draining person.

Today, we are going to talk about what is an emotionally draining person, the traits of an emotionally draining person and how to deal with an emotionally draining person.

Let’s start with what is an emotionally draining

Up Next

What Is Narcissistic Injury? 8 Signs And How To Dodge The Drama

What Is Narcissistic Injury? Signs And How To Dodge The Drama

What is a narcissistic injury really? You know that person who flips out over the smallest critique, like you just insulted their entire life? Or maybe they go into full passive-aggressive mode because you dared to disagree with them? Yeah, you mightโ€™ve walked right into a narcissistic minefield. 

When you cause a narcissistic wound, it can feel like navigating a relationship booby trapโ€”one wrong move, and boom! Drama explosion.

But what is really going on here? Why do some people react like their world is ending over a tiny comment?

Letโ€™s dig into the wild world of a narcissistic injury, what causes narcissistic injury, the signs of narcissistic injury and some good old examples of narcissistic injury.  

Letโ€™s start with what is

Up Next

Inside Vulnerable Narcissism: Exploring Traits, Patterns, and Relationship Struggles

Vulnerable Narcissism: Traits, Patterns, and Mental Health

Have you ever been on the other side of vulnerable narcissism? What even is that, and what does it entail? Today we are going to do a deep dive into this world of narcissism and find out what it means to have a relationship with a vulnerable narcissist.

In the world of psychology, the idea of narcissism has caught the attention of experts and therapists. When you hear the word “narcissist,” you might imagine someone who thinks highly of themselves.

But not all narcissism is the same; there are different types. One kind is called vulnerable narcissism. This means feeling insecure and sensitive and thinking you’re better than others.

Related: