Real-time interpersonal dynamics as a proxy for transferential processes: a psychodynamic-oriented ecological network study targeting narcissism and paranoia

Abstract Transference – the activation of enduring self–other representations in current relationships – has long been central to psychodynamic theory and treatment. Although traditionally grounded in the therapeutic setting, contemporary perspectives have considered how enduring self–other templates may shape social cognition and interpersonal behavior outside therapy. In individuals with personality pathology, particularly narcissistic functioning, transference may reproduce distorted paranoid self–other configurations, evoking intense countertransference reactions. Yet, transferential processes have rarely been examined empirically as they unfold in real time. By applying multilevel vector autoregression, this study modeled moment-to-moment fluctuations in narcissistic states, paranoid ideation, and perceptions of others’ warmth and dominance, offering a proxy for transferential processes in everyday social interactions. Community participants ( N = 411, M age = 22.1 ± 3.43) completed four daily prompts for seven days. Analyses modeled interpersonal processes across three temporal perspectives: contemporaneous patterns showed that both grandiose and vulnerable states co-occurred with higher paranoia; as for vulnerable states, this link was mediated by perceiving others as colder and less dominant. Temporally, paranoia acted as a bridge between vulnerable and grandiose states over the day. Vulnerability also evoked others’s dominance that, in turn, sustained vulnerability. Between-person results, indexing stable interpersonal tendencies, indicated that individuals higher in both narcissistic states reported greater mean paranoia, though only the vulnerability–paranoia link was explained by lower perceived warmth. By integrating psychodynamic theory with intensive longitudinal modeling, we provide an ecologically valid, network-based framework to track transferential dynamics across different time frames. This multi-scale approach extends transference research beyond the consulting room and yields insights with direct relevance for clinical research and practice.