The narcissism spectrum and its effects on self-selection into the teaching profession and on the effort-reward imbalance

Abstract. Based on the person-environment fit theory and the dynamic self-regulatory model of narcissism, an occupational self-selection into the teaching profession is analysed. This examination consults two comparative groups: student teachers are compared with management students, and practising teachers are compared with business leaders. After a theoretical analysis of the narcissism phenomenon considering the social-personality perspective, the relation between the narcissism spectrum – extreme, healthy and insufficient narcissism – and the effort-reward imbalance is examined. The sample consists of n 958 test persons from Austria. Self-selection tendencies into the teaching profession are mostly confirmed. Teachers show lower levels of extreme, healthy, and higher levels of insufficient narcissism than business leaders. Student teachers show lower levels of healthy and extreme narcissism than management students. Compared to student teachers, practising teachers exhibit higher levels of insufficient narcissism. This difference can be traced back to stressful classroom conditions. Teachers obtain less reward from their work than business leaders. Lower levels of healthy narcissism lead to more overcommitment and a reinforcement of the effort-reward imbalance, and increase the risk of gratification crises in the teaching profession.