A New York Magazine column posed the question, “Are you an undercover narcissist?” and suggested that beyond the obvious, extroverted narcissism lies a more subtle and introverted version.
In the article, Keith Campbell, a professor and head of the psychology department in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, said that because covert narcissism isn’t as boisterous as its overt companion, it is more difficult to observe and it gets less attention.
“It’s not somebody with a big personality,” Campbell said. “It’s somebody who’s a little paranoid, who thinks they’re not being treated fairly. They’re a little suspicious, entitled.”
His go-to example of a covert narcissist is the Seinfeld character George Costanza.