The traditional image of a narcissist is familiar: someone gazing at themselves in the mirror and falling in love with their own reflection. But narcissism is a bit more complex than mere vanity. It can be a serious psychological issue, and those affected might not always be readily willing to seek help. So, what actually makes a narcissist? The word is used so often nowadays, you might think they are all around us.
Is narcissism really on the rise? Judging by the number of books written on the topic in recent years, it’s hard to resist the idea. Some psychologists say that millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996), influenced by cultural changes like the rise of the internet, are more self-obsessed and narcissistic than previous generations. They say that 20-somethings are more individualistic and concerned with themselves than any generations before them.
Others, just as strongly, oppose the view that millennials are individualistic. Millennials are more diverse, more educated, and more single than earlier generations. But are they also more narcissistic? If they are, what does that mean for the future of society and the world?
Me, Me, Me?
The alarm sounded more than a decade ago by some researchers about “millennials being narcissistic” has long since become mainstream. Among them is Dr. Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University, who has published several books on the subject.
Twenge claims that modern culture is moving toward greater individualism and has produced a generation of young people with overinflated egos. On NPR’s “Hidden Brain” podcast, Twenge argues that social media is a driving force behind the trend, as it encourages constant self-promotion and enables people to broadcast every detail of their lives. At the same time, parenting styles have fostered increased levels of self-esteem and the sense of specialness.
Everyone belongs to his or her generation. The culture you grow up in, along with economic and world events as well as behavioral norms, shape your worldview. In general, says Twenge, millennials see themselves in a more positive light, have high expectations, and are less attuned to global events.
Her observations are largely founded on evidence that millennials tend to score higher on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. The NPI, which contains 40 pairs of questions, asks people whether they agree with statements such as “I would prefer to be a leader” versus “It makes little difference to me whether I am a leader or not.”
In a study published in the Journal of Personality, Twenge conducted a meta-analysis of 85 studies that pooled the results from surveys done on undergraduates using NPI results between 1979 and 2006. A total of 16,475 students were included in the analysis. The results showed a significant increase in NPI scores over time, a pattern that continued in later studies. As Twenge states in another paper published in Emerging Adulthood, the combined results “point toward ‘Generation Me’ and away from ‘Generation We.’ ”
But not all psychologists are convinced. Many critics question the use of studies on college students who represent only a fraction of the U.S. population. Some also wonder whether the NPI is a reliable test for gauging narcissism.
“The main flaw is in the way narcissism is measured,” says Dr. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a research professor in psychology at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. “[The NPI] includes things that could arguably be considered healthy self-esteem, such as asserting your point of view,” he says. “Some of the items are narcissism and some are definitely not.”
What Does The NPI Measure?
The NPI is the most commonly used test of narcissism. But because it measures narcissistic behavior in a general sense, it includes positive traits, such as assertiveness, along with harmful ones. This makes it difficult to differentiate between pathological symptoms and what is considered normal narcissism.
