Psychologists from Michigan State University undertook an unusual study, trying to determine whether narcissism was moderated by cultural factors like individualism/collectivism and gross domestic product (GDP). In other words, do national characteristics play a role in determining whether large numbers of people are narcissistic?
Narcissism as a personality trait needs to be separated from the psychological condition known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The condition is marked by excessive or pathological narcissistic traits characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for other people.
The five researchers created a massive database; more than 45,000 survey participants from 53 countries. In addition to examining individualism and collectivism, as well as gross domestic product, the researchers examined how age, gender, and perceived status differences in narcissism manifested across countries.
The study was published in the psychology journal, Self and Identity.
“We found that there were differences across cultures, including that people from higher GDP countries were more narcissistic, but the degree to which younger adults were narcissistic compared to older adults didn’t matter much on what country you were from,” said co-author William Chopik, a Michigan State University psychology researcher, in a statement.
The top five most narcissistic countries were Germany, Iraq, China, Nepal, and South Korea, with the five countries with the lowest narcissism scores being Serbia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The U.S. ranked a solid 16th, the same as Singapore, and better than Israel (9) and Italy (10).
Younger people are more narcissistic than older people, but perhaps not for the reasons we might think. As spoiled and as entitled as many young people seem, narcissism plays a vital role in their social development.
“These traits might manifest as heightened self-esteem, a strong desire for personal success, and a tendency to seek social recognition and validation,” they write. “As people age, however, their focus tends to shift from personal growth to prosocial engagement, potentially leading to a decline in narcissistic traits.”
One of the most surprising findings was that narcissism was not limited to high-income or individualist countries, but was a fixture in many diverse cultures. In fact, collectivist countries, such as China and Nepal, were often found to be high in narcissism, particularly the status-seeking and admiration-craving kind. Perhaps it is a trait that helps people navigate complex social hierarchies, the scientists theorized.
People in higher-income countries also ranked relatively high in narcissism, which surprised the study authors, who had expected that lower-income countries might more frequently reward the kind of competitiveness common in narcissism. The scientists hypothesized that the reason for this is that people in high-GDP countries are often more prone to obsession with status and prestige.
Another unexpected finding: Culture rarely had any impact on the basic underlying demographic factors—being young, male, and high status—that predicted higher rates of narcissism. That means that while cultures may differ in terms of their average levels of narcissism, the kinds of people who tend toward the trait are pretty much the same the world over.
The U.S. and the UK have the highest recorded levels of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). That may be because the U.S. and UK have more therapeutic and clinical resources than most other nations, and because of that, more patients are diagnosed with NPD.
“Insights like these encourage us to think about the balance between cultural and biological influences on personality. It also suggests exciting avenues for studies on how life experiences, societal expectations and economic contexts interact to shape the expression of narcissistic traits across one’s lifespan," said Choptik.
"Our findings highlight the importance of culture in shaping narcissism, with individuals from collectivistic cultures reporting higher levels of narcissism than those from individualistic cultures," write the authors. "This challenges the traditional view that narcissism is primarily a product of individualistic societies and suggests that narcissism may be more context-dependent than previously thought."
I love it when conventional wisdom gets blown to smithereens.
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