A team of from the University of Michigan and Brigham Young University (USA) conducted a study involving over 45,000 individuals of both genders living in 53 countries around the world.
The researchers not only ranked countries by their levels of narcissism but also noted that older adults tend to be less narcissistic than younger people, and men are generally more narcissistic than women. According to the scientists, this difference is likely due to societal expectations that require men to be more assertive and competitive in their careers, while women often prioritize community involvement and interpersonal relationships.
is a personality trait characterized by self-absorption, self-aggrandizement, and an excessive need for admiration from others. Clinical narcissistic personality disorder can pose challenges for both the individual and those around them. However, the researchers assert that narcissistic traits are present to some degree in nearly everyone. The term originates not from the name of a flower but from the character Narcissus in Greek mythology, who fell in love with his own reflection, as reported by IFLScience.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
In their report, the team stated: “Previous studies have shown that psychological characteristics such as narcissism vary across cultures. Additionally, the level of narcissism in men and women may differ in various countries.”
The researchers aimed to determine whether the level of narcissism correlates with the degree of collectivism and wealth (measured by GDP) in different countries.
During the study, psychologists asked participants to mentally place themselves on a scale of 1 to 10. The highest positions were to be occupied by individuals who held higher status in their country based on wealth, education, and professional activity.
The team also measured the level of narcissism among volunteers using the “Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire.” Participants expressed their attitudes toward statements such as “I want my competitors to fail” and “I manage to be the center of attention due to my outstanding achievements,” among others.
While one might assume that the most narcissistic country would be the United States, this expectation proved to be incorrect.
The five countries with the highest levels of narcissism were Germany, Iraq, China, Nepal, and South Korea.
Among the five countries with the lowest levels of narcissism are Serbia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Meanwhile, the United States ranked 16th, placing it within the top twenty most narcissistic countries.
The researchers did find a correlation between GDP and narcissism: countries with higher income levels exhibited higher levels of narcissism.
Interestingly, countries with strong collectivist tendencies also showed high levels of narcissism. This challenges the hypothesis that egocentrism is primarily encouraged in environments that prioritize personal achievements and self-promotion.
“It is traditionally believed that collectivist cultures, by suppressing narcissistic tendencies, prioritize group harmony and social conformity over individual achievements. However, our results indicated that collectivist cultures may also foster the development of narcissistic traits, albeit for different reasons than individualistic cultures,” the researchers noted.
The team suggested that collectivist cultures might emphasize personal achievements as a means to enhance the well-being of the entire group.
The authors concluded that despite cultural differences, narcissism can be a universal phenomenon, inherent to all people and transcending geographical boundaries.
Commenting on the study, scientists from the Canadian Psychological Association stated: “It is normal for individuals to have a healthy level of self-esteem, to accept their strengths and weaknesses while maintaining a positive self-image. It is also normal and beneficial to seek adaptive and realistic ways to improve self-esteem and feel good about who you are.”
The results of the study were published in the journal Self and Identity.
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