On a Theory of Self-Structure–Part 1: The Nature of Narcissism

The self and its structure have been one of the most interesting research topics in psychology and psychoanalysis, which are related to the following important philosophical and scientific questions: “Where did ‘I’ come from?” and “How am ‘I’ formed and developed?” The contribution of psychoanalysis to human understanding of itself is indisputable. I believe that, in theory, the core purpose of psychoanalysis is to help humans answer these two fundamental questions.

First, “Where did ‘I’ come from?” That is, the dynamic source of personality and the development of personality, which is the relationship between time and personality.

Second, “How am ‘I’ formed and developed?” This has to do with the structural space of personality. Only by effectively answering these two questions can psychoanalysis further help human beings understand: “Why is ‘my’ mind ‘sick’?”

In this article, first I will try to understand the historical context of psychoanalytic theoretical development on narcissism by sorting out the relevant theories of predecessors. Second, I will try to formulate a new definition for narcissism, which becomes a new angle to understand self-structure. Furthermore, combining this new definition of narcissism, I try to use some clinical and non-clinical materials to explore the rationality and compatibility of this new definition.