Kelly means that if someone feels hated by their peers, it can lead them to try to counteract them with overcompensation. They alleviate the emotional burden of bullying by treating themselves the opposite of their bullies. Since their flaws are glorified by others, they learn to focus only on the positives and become obsessed with feeling good. Kelly's studies show that most narcissists have low self-esteem, which is at odds with their dispositions. Although this theory did not originally apply to Dorian's personality, it could explain his state of mind later in the novel. At first everyone likes him, but towards the end he becomes an outcast. Even though Dorian's former friends avoid him and talk about him, his self-confidence only grows worse. He gets so involved in his image that he's blind to everything