# How narcissistic are you (according to Dr. Drew Pinsky anyway)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 15, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151 "2009-04-15T05:13:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/21 "2009-04-15T09:16:52Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Somebody needs to tell Dr. Drew or whoever wrote that test about false dilemmas and excluded middles. That’s deliberate. It’s how a lot of those tests work. The point isn’t always to get the answer to that particular false dichotomy, but to discover which subject-behind-the-answer in the false dilemma is the most important to the test taker - sometimes those questions not even comparing like with like. E.g. extravertedness vs compassion and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/22 "2009-04-15T10:10:42Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Somebody needs to tell Dr. Drew or whoever wrote that test about false dilemmas and excluded middles. This. The standard in pop psych quizzes is low, but Great Og on a pogo stick that one is appalling. It manages in a significant number of questions to go beyond “excluded middle” and into “excluded all but the absolutely needle sharp bits at the ends of the bell curve”. The guy who wrote it needs to recognise what most people do and all people should: they need my input into such things before they have any hope of producing something competent. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/23 "2009-04-15T10:18:16Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > That’s deliberate. It’s how a lot of those tests work. The point isn’t always to get the answer to that particular false dichotomy, but to discover which subject-behind-the-answer in the false dilemma is the most important to the test taker - sometimes those questions not even comparing like with like. E.g. extravertedness vs compassion and so on. But the technique is bullshit. It’s a means of “creating” an answer that means nothing other than that you picked something because if you didn’t you couldn’t complete the test. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/24 "2009-04-15T10:20:15Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I love the notion of a psychiatrist who employs a press agent and has close-ups filmed of himself listening compassionately to people in group therapy taking a stance against narcissism. He is not a psychiatrist. He is a board certified internist and addiction medicine specialist. Although I never liked the Loveline TV show, I liked the radio show. Years of driving around at night with nothing else to listen to made me respect his opinion and judgement. My score: 13 Authority: 5.00 Self-Sufficiency: 2.00 Superiority: 1.00 Exhibitionism: 1.00 Exploitativeness: 1.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 3.00 ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/25 "2009-04-15T10:47:55Z")
Power! Power! Power! Ehrm… yeah, I got a 20. Authority: 6.00 Self-Sufficiency: 1.00 Superiority: 3.00 Exhibitionism: 4.00 Exploitativeness: 3.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 3.00 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/26 "2009-04-15T11:20:09Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Somebody needs to tell Dr. Drew or whoever wrote that test about false dilemmas and excluded middles. Most people who write psychological tests, sadly. I once blew a psychologist’s mind by explaining to her that some jobs whose title includes the word “boss” do need to be able to follow orders as well as give them. I was nice and refrained to explain about “technical bosses” (think “EHS Manager”), who often give instructions to everybody but don’t have a single direct report… ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/27 "2009-04-15T11:27:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Your Total: 3 > > Authority: 1.00 > Self-Sufficiency: 1.00 > Superiority: 1.00 > Exhibitionism: 0.00 > Exploitativeness: 0.00 > Vanity: 0.00 > Entitlement: 0.00 They don’t ask if you take care of yourself vs. you don’t take care of yourself. They just ask if you mind help or not. 😕 They need to have a more direct question that measures if the person takes care of themselves vs. asking if they are too proud to ask for help when they need it. I’m more self sufficient than they make me out to be, by quite a bit. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/28 "2009-04-15T12:03:07Z")
HMMMM!!! 29 Authority: 7.00 Self-Sufficiency: 5.00 Superiority: 2.00 Exhibitionism: 2.00 Exploitativeness: 5.00 Vanity: 3.00 Entitlement: 5.00 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/29 "2009-04-15T12:22:00Z")
28 Authority: 7.00 Self-Sufficiency: 4.00 Superiority: 4.00 Exhibitionism: 3.00 Exploitativeness: 4.00 Vanity: 2.00 Entitlement: 4.00 NOW WEEP AS YOU BEHOLD YOUR NEW GOD! ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/30 "2009-04-15T12:32:31Z")
Apparently I should move to Nigeria and start emailing people. I’m all about exploitation! You should all be thankful that I have no intention of flashing my tits and I am completely unselfsufficient. Authority: 3.00 Self-Sufficiency: 0.00 Superiority: 1.00 Exhibitionism: 0.00 Exploitativeness: 4.00 Vanity: 1.00 Entitlement: 1.00 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/31 "2009-04-15T12:35:15Z")
My Total: 7 Authority: 3.00 Self-Sufficiency: 2.00 Superiority: 1.00 Exhibitionism: 0.00 Exploitativeness: 1.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 0.00 I can do without the power, but I wouldn’t mind the money and the babes. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/32 "2009-04-15T12:47:39Z")
I’ll tell ya, I’m taking notes on some people around here I need to be keeping an eye out for. Total: 8 Authority: 5.00 Self-Sufficiency: 2.00 Superiority: 1.00 Exhibitionism: 0.00 Exploitativeness: 0.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 0.00 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/33 "2009-04-15T12:52:36Z")
I’m far too important to bother with taking someone else’s test. It’s beyond me why I even deigned to post in this thread. Consider yourselves lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/34 "2009-04-15T12:54:06Z")
I got a 6. Authority: 2 Self-Sufficiency: 2 Superiority: 1 Entitlement: 1 ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/35 "2009-04-15T12:57:50Z")
9 Authority: 3.00 Self-Sufficiency: 1.00 Superiority: 2.00 Exhibitionism: 0.00 Exploitativeness: 1.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 2.00 ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/36 "2009-04-15T13:16:41Z")
Yeesh, I got a 3. I’m a 2 on self-sufficiency and a 1 on exploitativeness because I admit that I can influence people from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/37 "2009-04-15T13:47:18Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Somebody needs to tell Dr. Drew or whoever wrote that test about false dilemmas and excluded middles. QFT I scored an 11 Authority: 4.00 Self-Sufficiency: 0.00 Superiority: 2.00 Exhibitionism: 1.00 Exploitativeness: 1.00 Vanity: 0.00 Entitlement: 3.00 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/38 "2009-04-15T14:10:19Z")
I got a 10. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/39 "2009-04-15T14:16:22Z")
By the way the title of the OP is misleading. Dr Drew may have used this test as part of his new book but he did not invent it. If you look at the bottom of the page of that link: > [@](#): > > For personal use only. Based upon Raskin, R. & Terry, H. (1988). A Principal-Components Analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and Further Evidence of Its Construct Validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(5). ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151/40 "2009-04-15T14:18:10Z")
Even I was surprised by this: > [@](#): > > Your Total: 1 > > Between 12 and 15 is average. > Celebrities often score closer to 18. > Narcissists score over 20. > > Here’s how you rated on the seven component traits of narcissism: > Narcissistic Trait Strength of Trait > Authority: 1.00 > Self-Sufficiency: 0.00 > Superiority: 0.00 > Exhibitionism: 0.00 > Exploitativeness: 0.00 > Vanity: 0.00 > Entitlement: 0.00 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-narcissistic-are-you-according-to-dr-drew-pinsky-anyway/493151.md?page=3)