Three styles · free test

Narcissism Test

Am I a narcissist? Find out which of three styles is yours — the loud one, the quiet one or the “kind” one.

See what you need from praise, what criticism triggers, when confidence turns into distance⁠—and whether helping others also carries a quiet wish to be noticed.

Free to take
No sign-up to start · private

Rated 4.8 / 5 by 243,000+ Freudly users

1,800+ people have taken this test on Freudly

Hypersensitivity to criticism

High

Hidden need for admiration

High

Superiority and vanity

Moderate

Example result

Your narcissism profile

Dominant style

Vulnerable (covert)

Grandiose

Moderate

Vulnerable

High

Communal

Moderate

Overall intensity

Noticeable narcissistic traits

Freudly has been featured on

FOX

USA TODAY

CNN

Forbes

FOX

USA TODAY

CNN

Forbes

FOX

USA TODAY

CNN

Forbes

45 answers can reveal nine very different ways of needing to feel special.

Statements, five for each trait

Traits scored separately, not one vague total

Personal reading of how your answers connect

4.8/5

Rated by 243,000+ Freudly users

Sound familiar?

Ever wondered if it’s you? These are the moments that make people ask.

Most people don’t look for a narcissist quiz out of nowhere. It starts with a word thrown in an argument, a remark that won’t stop replaying, or a quiet sting when someone else gets the credit.

Exhibitionism and attention

Someone called you a narcissist

“He said I always make it about me. Do I?”

One word in an argument, and now you can’t stop checking yourself in every conversation.

Hypersensitivity to criticism

The comeback comes three hours late

“What I should have said was…”

A mild remark keeps playing on a loop, and you keep rewriting your answer to it.

Hidden need for admiration

Your idea, their applause

“That was my idea. Nobody even noticed.”

You’d never point it out yourself, but you quietly wait for someone to see what you did.

Exhibitionism and attention

Their story reminds you of yours

“That reminds me of when I…”

The conversation drifts away from you, and somehow you always find the way back.

Saintly self-image

The helper who keeps count

“After everything I do for them.”

You give more than anyone, and it hurts when nobody seems to notice how much.

Shame and envy behind the mask

Good news that stings

“Good for them. Although… how, honestly?”

You’re happy for a friend’s success, and it still pricks somewhere you’d rather not look.

Sample statements

Three answers. Three clues.

What might they say about you?

Choose what sounds most like your usual reaction, not the answer that looks best.

Choose an answer to see what it may say about you

From the test

Grandiose

If a conversation drifts away from me, I find a way to bring it back.

Exhibitionism and attention

Choosing “Strongly agree” suggests you notice when attention leaves you and instinctively bring it back. Other answers will show whether this is a social habit or part of a broader need to be seen.

Exhibitionism and attention

You don't need the conversation to revolve around you: you're happy to listen. Other answers will show how you relate to recognition and criticism.

Exhibitionism and attention

Sometimes you steer the conversation back to yourself, but not all the time. Other answers will show in which situations it happens.

From the test

Vulnerable

After a remark I did not like, I keep replaying what I should have answered.

Hypersensitivity to criticism

A remark keeps echoing in your head long after the conversation. Other answers will show which criticism sticks and which part of your self-image it touches.

Hypersensitivity to criticism

Unpleasant remarks let go of you quickly. Other answers will show how you relate to recognition and your strengths.

Hypersensitivity to criticism

Sometimes a remark sticks, sometimes you let it go quickly. Other answers will show whose criticism hits harder.

From the test

Communal

My kindness is nothing special: plenty of people are kinder than I am.

Saintly self-image

Choosing “Strongly disagree” suggests kindness may be part of what makes you feel exceptional. Other answers will show whether helping feels free⁠—or also carries a wish to be recognised.

Saintly self-image

You see your kindness as partly ordinary, partly special. Other answers will show how you rate yourself next to others.

Saintly self-image

You rate your kindness modestly and don't put yourself above others. Other answers will show how this fits with your self-confidence.

How it works

From a painful label to something you can actually use.

Answer honestly, see the pattern behind your reactions, then try a different response in real life.

From the test

Even mild criticism can stay with me for days.

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

Answer as you usually react

Think about arguments, praise, competition and the moments when your effort goes unnoticed. The useful answer is the honest one, even when it is uncomfortable.

The sensitive side outweighs the confident one: you value your abilities, but a critical word can unsettle you for days.

That gap between how you see yourself and how fragile it feels runs through the whole reading.

See what drives the pattern

Learn whether your reactions are led by visible confidence, a guarded need for recognition, or the wish to be seen as the most caring person in the room.

Your reading

Grandiose

Vulnerable

Communal

Try a different response

Use the reading in a real conversation: ask for recognition directly, receive criticism without replaying it, or share credit without feeling smaller. Freudly AI helps you practise.

Asking about someone else?

Here because of a partner, an ex or a parent? Start with the part you can change.

The test cannot read someone who is not answering. It can show what happens on your side of the relationship when you feel criticised, overlooked or outshone.

You · answering

Them

The dynamic
between you

Your side, measured

Hypersensitivity to criticism

Saintly self-image

Shame and envy behind the mask

Why “is it me?” keeps coming back

If remarks replay for days and you hide every weak spot, an argument can feel less like disagreement and more like a verdict on your worth.

Giving a lot, and wanting it seen

Helping can be generous and still carry an unspoken hope: “Please notice how much I do.” The test helps you separate the gift from the score you keep inside.

Curious about them too?

Send them the link if they want to look at their own reactions. Their answers stay private, just like yours.

Talk through your side

Freudly AI uses your answers to help you prepare a hard conversation, ask for recognition without accusation and repair after a fight.

What the test measures

Narcissism is not always loud. Which version shows up in you?

You may take charge openly, protect a private need for admiration, or build your worth around being the one who cares most. Most people recognise more than one side.

Grandiose

Vulnerable

Communal

The crown

Grandiose (overt)

You feel at home taking charge, being noticed and expecting your contribution to carry extra weight.

Authority and leadership

Decisions end up with you, almost without trying.

Superiority and vanity

Deep down you know you’re more capable than most.

Exhibitionism and attention

Your stories get a little better each time you tell them.

Entitlement

Ordinary rules feel like they were written for other people.

Exploitativeness

You know how to get people to do what you want, unnoticed.

The armour

Vulnerable (covert)

You may look composed while criticism, comparison and missing praise keep working inside.

Hypersensitivity to criticism

A careless remark can stay with you for days.

Hidden need for admiration

You’d never say it aloud, but you want to be admired.

Shame and envy behind the mask

Someone else’s success stings, even when you’re happy for them.

The halo

Communal

Being helpful is part of who you are⁠—and it matters that other people see how much you give.

Saintly self-image

You’re proud of understanding people better than anyone around you.

The useful question is not “Do I have it?” but “Which need takes over, and when?”

A pattern most quizzes miss

You can look confident and still carry one tender spot for days.

Confidence and sensitivity are not opposites. Your reading connects how highly you rate yourself with what happens when that image is questioned⁠—and shows which side takes over.

How self-image meets criticism

How hard criticism lands

High

Quiet but telling

Sensitivity outweighs confidence

You?

Two strong currents

Mid

Modesty with a sore spot

Two forces, one level

Confidence first, one soft spot

Low

A steady self-image

A confident balance

Strong and unshaken

Low

Mid

High

How high you place yourself

The sensitive side outweighs the confident one: you value your abilities, but a critical word can unsettle you for days.

Your leading style: grandiose, vulnerable or communal

Healthy self-regard or more? How intense your traits are overall

How other people are likely to experience you

Your confident front and your sensitive side: how they balance

Your style in love: what a partner is likely to feel

Example reading. Your own pattern comes from how your answers work together.

Your personal reading

See what praise, criticism and comparison do inside you.

The useful part is not a label. It is recognising the moment you start keeping score, defending your image or waiting to be noticed⁠—and knowing what to do instead.

Why one mild comment can replay for days after you seemed calm

When helping feels generous⁠—and when being unseen turns it into resentment

How being outshone changes what you notice about the other person

What to say when you want recognition instead of waiting for it

Your narcissism profile

Vulnerable · Noticeable traits

How your three styles show up

Grandiose

Moderate

Vulnerable

High

Communal

Moderate

What stands out in your reactions

Hypersensitivity to criticism

High

Hidden need for admiration

High

Superiority and vanity

Moderate

Saintly self-image

Moderate

Authority and leadership

Moderate

Entitlement

Low

Shame and envy behind the mask

Low

Exhibitionism and attention

Low

Exploitativeness

Low

Strongest trait

Hypersensitivity to criticism

Barely shows

Exploitativeness

What this can look like in life

You rarely place yourself above others, yet criticism lands hard and recognition matters more than you say. People may see someone modest and easy-going while missing the private cost of effort that goes unnoticed.

Example profile. Your reading is built from your own answers.

Go deeper with Freudly AI

Ask about the argument behind your answers.

Freudly AI connects answers that look unrelated, names the pattern in a real relationship and helps you try one different response this week.

Freudly AI

Reading your answer pattern

I apologise first every time, even when I still feel hurt. Does that make me the narcissist?

Your answers show an unusual combination: you rarely rank yourself above others, criticism stays with you for days, and you want your effort to be noticed⁠—but almost never ask for that directly.

From the outside: “Sorry, let’s move on.” Inside: “Fine. I’ll be the reasonable one again. They still have no idea what this cost me.” The apology ends the argument, but not the private score.

One sharp question: are you apologising because you see your part⁠—or because saying sorry is faster than naming what hurt you and risking another person’s disappointment?

The issue may not be “too much ego” but using apology to restore your image as the good one. This week, pause before “sorry” and name one fact: “I interrupted you” or “I disagree.” If there is no fact, ask what exactly hurt.

That is exactly how our fights end. How do I say my part without starting it all again?

Name the hidden need

Turn “Why am I like this?” into a question you can test

Prepare one conversation

Ask for recognition without accusation or scorekeeping

Try a small change

Test an insight this week instead of only reading it

Mood journal

Notice what stings, what you need and what helps you recover

Who takes it

For anyone who wants to stop guessing⁠—and change one pattern.

You may arrive after a fight, a painful comparison or years of wondering why recognition matters so much.

People asking “Am I a narcissist?”

They heard the word in an argument or recognised themselves in an article, and want an honest look at their own traits.

Curious about the quiet and “kind” forms

They don’t fit the loud stereotype and want to know whether sensitivity, a hidden need for recognition or a helper identity plays a part.

Working on a relationship

They want to understand how their self-image affects a partner, friends or family — and what to adjust.

1,800+ people have taken this test on Freudly

Reviews

What people understood⁠—and did differently.

Rated 4.8 / 5 · trusted by 243,000+ users worldwide

I stopped arguing with the label

My sister called me a narcissist and I took the test to prove her wrong. Instead of a verdict, I saw how long I replay criticism. Now I ask what exactly hurt before defending myself, and our arguments end much sooner.

Topic

Self-view

Hannah R. · United Kingdom

Took the test

I started asking directly

I thought my wife should simply notice everything I do. When she did not, I went cold and called her ungrateful. The reading helped me say, “I need you to acknowledge this,” before resentment had a week to grow.

Topic

Recognition

Marcus T. · United States

Took the test

Helping feels lighter now

I had never heard of communal narcissism. The useful part was noticing that I offered help before anyone asked, then felt invisible. Now I check whether I truly want to help⁠—or want to be the person nobody can do without.

Topic

Helping

Olivia T. · Canada

Took the test

I stopped keeping score

I used to remember every favour and every time nobody thanked me. The report called that pattern more clearly than I could. I now decide before helping whether I can give freely. If not, I say no instead of collecting a debt.

Topic

Boundaries

Daniel K. · Australia

Took the test

I came for my mother, stayed for me

I wanted an answer about my mum. The test could not read her, but it showed why I still apologise before saying what I need. I used the AI conversation to prepare one boundary, and for once I did not explain it ten different ways.

Topic

Family

Sofia M. · United States

Took the test

I caught the comparison earlier

When a friend succeeded, I immediately found something wrong with them. The reading linked that reflex to wanting recognition myself. Now I name what I wish I had before I devalue what they achieved. It has saved two friendships.

Topic

Friendship

Priya N. · United Kingdom

Took the test

Use it

Use what you learn while it is still fresh.

Take the test for free. A 3-day free trial lets you talk through a real situation with Freudly AI and try the tools that help turn an insight into a new habit.

What’s included

See what you do when recognition does not arrive

Understand which criticism lingers and why

Practise asking for recognition directly

Prepare a hard conversation with Freudly AI

Compare patterns across attachment and personality tests

Mood journal to notice triggers before they become fights

Freudly for self-knowledge

Your trial

Free

No sign-up to start

Private

FAQ

Questions, answered.

From recognition to one useful change

The label is only a starting point. What matters is what you notice and try next.

1 · Recognise

Notice the moments when criticism, comparison or missing praise changes your reaction.

You are here

2 · Answer honestly

Choose what resembles your usual life, including the answers you would rather hide.

3 · Understand

Connect your need for recognition with what happens in love, friendship and work.

4 · Try one change

Ask directly, pause before defending yourself or share credit without keeping score.

What is the test based on?

It draws on research into grandiose narcissism by Raskin and Terry, the authors of the NPI test, vulnerable narcissism by Hendin and Cheek and by Pincus and colleagues, communal narcissism by Gebauer and colleagues, and admiration and rivalry by Back and colleagues. Its 45 statements connect those lines of research in one personal reading.

Is this a narcissistic personality disorder test?

No. It measures narcissistic traits, which everyone has to some degree. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a clinical diagnosis that only a psychiatrist or psychologist can make after a full assessment. A high score here is a reason to look more closely, not a diagnosis.

What will I learn about myself?

You will see which need leads your reactions: visible status, protected recognition or being known as the caring one. The reading also shows which criticism stays with you, what being outshone triggers, when helping turns into scorekeeping, how other people may experience you and which small change could improve a real relationship.

What’s the difference between overt and covert narcissism?

Overt, or grandiose, narcissism is visible: confidence, a taste for attention, taking charge, a sense of entitlement. Covert, or vulnerable, narcissism is quieter: a hidden need for admiration, strong sensitivity to criticism, and shame or envy behind a composed front. Many people have both in different proportions — the test scores them separately.

What is communal narcissism?

Narcissism expressed through goodness: a self-image built on being the most caring, helpful and understanding person around, plus a need for that goodness to be noticed. It’s easy to miss because from the outside it looks like kindness.

Can I use it to understand a partner or parent?

This narcissist test reads only the person answering it. It cannot infer someone else’s inner reactions, but it can show your side of the dynamic: what criticism does to you, what you expect after giving, how you react when the other person gets more attention and why certain arguments keep repeating. You can also send them the test to take for themselves.

What if I answer to look good?

Nobody sees your individual answers, so there’s no one to impress. The nine traits are mixed together and 11 of the 45 statements are worded the other way round, so automatic agreement — or answering on autopilot — doesn’t push the scores up.

How does Freudly AI help after the test?

It works with your own combination of answers, not a generic description. Ask why you apologise but stay resentful, why a friend’s success changes how you see them, or how to request recognition without accusing anyone. Freudly AI can name the pattern, ask a sharper question and suggest one step to try in a real conversation.

Can these traits change?

The need underneath a reaction may be familiar, but what you do with it can change. You can learn to ask for recognition instead of waiting, hear criticism without turning it into a verdict, help without keeping score and notice envy before it becomes devaluation. The reading gives you a specific place to start.

Is this narcissism test free?

Yes — this is a free narcissist test with instant results: your answers are scored the moment you finish, and no sign-up is needed to start. Freudly AI then comes with a 3-day free trial.

How the test works

Narcissism test: description and methodology

The test brings together established research into grandiose, vulnerable and communal narcissism. Its 45 statements read nine traits separately and connect them into a profile of how self-image, recognition and criticism work together.

Statements

45 statements, five per trait, rated from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”.

Traits and styles

Five grandiose traits, three vulnerable, one communal.

Result

Dominant style, your three strongest traits and overall intensity.

How the score is calculated

Each answer scores 1 to 5 points. 11 statements are worded the other way round and scored in reverse. Each trait adds up its five statements into a score from 5 to 25. Traits add up into the three styles, which are compared as a share of their range because the styles have different numbers of traits.

Answer all 45

1⁠–⁠5 points each

11 scored in reverse

Nine traits · 5⁠–⁠25

Three styles · as %

Style · top 3 · intensity

Where each style comes from

The crown

Raskin & Terry, 1988

The armour

Hendin & Cheek, 1997; Pincus et al., 2009

The halo

Gebauer et al., 2012

Admiration and rivalry

Back et al., 2013

What it is based on

The grandiose traits follow the classic components of narcissism described by Raskin and Terry. The vulnerable traits draw on research into hypersensitive and pathological narcissism by Hendin and Cheek and by Pincus and colleagues. The communal style comes from Gebauer and colleagues’ work on communal narcissism, and the envy-and-rivalry side from Back and colleagues.

How to get an accurate result

Answer for how you usually think and react, not on your best or worst day. Some statements are deliberately reversed — read each one to the end before you answer.

Literature

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), 890⁠–⁠902.

Hendin, H. M., & Cheek, J. M. (1997). Assessing hypersensitive narcissism: A reexamination of Murray’s Narcism Scale. Journal of Research in Personality, 31(4), 588⁠–⁠599.

Pincus, A. L., Ansell, E. B., Pimentel, C. A., Cain, N. M., Wright, A. G. C., & Levy, K. N. (2009). Initial construction and validation of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory. Psychological Assessment, 21(3), 365⁠–⁠379.

Gebauer, J. E., Sedikides, C., Verplanken, B., & Maio, G. R. (2012). Communal narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(5), 854⁠–⁠878.

Back, M. D., Küfner, A. C. P., Dufner, M., Gerlach, T. M., Rauthmann, J. F., & Denissen, J. J. A. (2013). Narcissistic admiration and rivalry: Disentangling the bright and dark sides of narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(6), 1013⁠–⁠1037.

Miller, J. D., Lynam, D. R., Hyatt, C. S., & Campbell, W. K. (2017). Controversies in narcissism. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 13, 291⁠–⁠315.

Updated: 2026-10-02

Narcissism Test - Description and methodology of the test

Narcissism is usually pictured as loud self-admiration, yet research describes several quite different forms. This narcissism test looks at all of them in one questionnaire: 45 statements, nine traits and three styles, so you can see not only whether you have narcissistic traits but which kind shapes the way you treat yourself and other people.

What the test measures

This narcissistic personality quiz measures three styles of narcissism, each built from separately scored traits. Grandiose, or overt, narcissism combines five traits: authority and leadership, superiority and vanity, exhibitionism and attention-seeking, entitlement, and exploitativeness. Vulnerable, or covert, narcissism combines three: hypersensitivity to criticism, a hidden need for admiration, and shame and envy behind a composed mask. Communal narcissism is measured through a saintly self-image, the conviction of being more caring and understanding than other people and the wish for that to be seen. Each trait has five statements, so a high score reflects a consistent tendency rather than a single answer. The result names your dominant style, ranks your strongest traits and estimates how intense the overall pattern is, from healthy self-regard to a strong narcissistic profile.

How the test works and how to read the result

You rate 45 statements on a five-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Statements from all nine traits are mixed together, and about a quarter are worded in the opposite direction, which keeps automatic agreement from inflating the scores. Each trait score ranges from 5 to 25 and is read in three bands.

Low: the trait plays little part in how you think and react.
Moderate: the trait appears in specific situations or relationships.
High: the trait is a stable part of your style, and other people are likely to notice it.

The three style scores are sums of their traits, so compare them as percentages rather than raw numbers. Grandiose and vulnerable traits often coexist: someone can look confident and still be deeply hurt by criticism. That is why the profile matters more than any single number. Answer for how you really behave, not how you would like to be seen, and the result will describe the self-image you actually live with.

Comments

Narcissism Test

45 answers can reveal nine very different ways of needing to feel special.

Ever wondered if it’s you? These are the moments that make people ask.

Three answers. Three clues.

From a painful label to something you can actually use.

Here because of a partner, an ex or a parent? Start with the part you can change.

Narcissism is not always loud. Which version shows up in you?

You can look confident and still carry one tender spot for days.

See what praise, criticism and comparison do inside you.

Ask about the argument behind your answers.

For anyone who wants to stop guessing⁠—and change one pattern.

What people understood⁠—and did differently.

Use what you learn while it is still fresh.

Questions, answered.

Narcissism test: description and methodology

What happens inside you when nobody notices?

Narcissism Test - Description and methodology of the test

What the test measures

How the test works and how to read the result