Pathological narcissism:

Three Subtypes of pathological narcissism according to Kernberg are:

1.Regression to the regulation of infantile self-esteem: The ideal ego is dominated by infantile pursuits, values and prohibitions. The regulation of self-esteem is overly dependent on expressions or defences against infantile pleasures, which are discarded in adult life. This is the mildest type of narcissistic pathology.

2.Narcissistic choice of object: This type is more severe than the first one but more rare. The representation of the infantile self is projected on an object and then identified through that same object. Thus, a libidinal association is generated, where the functions of the self and the object have been exchanged.

3.Narcissistic personality disorder: This type is different from both normal adult narcissism and from regression to normal infantile narcissism. It is the most severe type and is suitable for psychoanalysis.

In Kernberg's view, narcissistic personalities are differentiated from both normal adult narcissism and from fixation at or regression to normal infantile narcissism.

             Fixation at a primitive stage of development or lack of development of specific intrapsychic structures is not adequate to explain the characteristics of narcissistic personalities.             Those characteristics are the consequence of pathological object relationships.

 

       Pathological narcissism is not merely the libidinal investment in the self but in a pathological, underdeveloped structure of the self. This pathological structure presents defences against early self and object images, which are either libidinally or aggressively invested.

Thus we see the pathological narcissism of kernberg is a state that leads to various pathological behaviours in adult life including religious attachments –which we shall see later.