Conversational narcissism is a term used by the Marxist sociologist Charles Derber in his book The Pursuit of Attention: Power and Ego in Everyday Life.
[1] Derber argued that the social support system in America is relatively weak, which leads people to compete for attention.
"Conversational narcissism is the key manifestation of the dominant attention-getting psychology in America," he wrote.
The profusion of popular literature about listening and the etiquette of managing those who talk constantly about themselves suggests its pervasiveness in everyday life.
"[1] Derber asserts that this "conversational narcissism" often occurs subtly rather than overtly because it is socially prudent to avoid being judged an egotist.