In our introductory lecture, Dr. Campbell delves into the complex topic of narcissism, exploring its historical origins, different manifestations, and measurement. The lecture traces the concept of narcissism from its roots in Greek mythology to its evolution as a psychological construct over the past two centuries. Dr. Campbell discusses the three primary faces of narcissism: grandiose, vulnerable, and the clinical diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). He also touches on the demographics of narcissism, its genetic and environmental influences, and its relationship to other psychological traits such as self-esteem, entitlement, and the "Dark Triad."

In lecture two, we look at the mechanics and dynamics of narcissism, exploring it as both a self-regulatory process and a personality trait. We examine how narcissists engage in grandiose self-enhancement and vulnerable self-protection to maintain their inflated egos, and how narcissism can be understood through the lens of the Big Five personality traits, particularly low agreeableness, high extroversion, and high neuroticism. The lecture concludes by discussing the trifurcated model of narcissism and how narcissistic traits manifest in different contexts, such as parenting and social interactions.

In lecture three, we explore the clinical form of narcissism known as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), discussing its diagnostic criteria, key features, and the challenges it poses in both personal and therapeutic contexts. We delve into the historical psychodynamic models of NPD proposed by Kernberg and Kohut, and consider the ongoing debates surrounding the integration of normal and pathological personality models in clinical psychology.