New Study Debunks Myths About Self-Centered People

Summary: A major international study of more than 45,000 participants shows that narcissism is a widespread personality trait found across cultures rather than a phenomenon unique to any single country. While nations varied in average scores, the highest overall levels were recorded in Germany, Iraq, China, Nepal, and South Korea; the United States ranked 16th. Across all 53 countries included in the study, consistent patterns emerged: young adults scored higher than older adults, and men scored higher than women.

These results indicate that age-related declines in narcissistic tendencies and sex differences in narcissism are remarkably consistent worldwide. The findings challenge the assumption that narcissism is primarily driven by specific cultural environments and point toward a combined influence of developmental processes, social experience, and economic context on how self-focused traits are expressed.

Key Facts

• Global Presence: Narcissistic traits were observed consistently across 53 countries, revealing common global patterns.
• Not Limited to the U.S.: The United States ranked 16th in overall narcissism scores; several other countries showed higher average levels.
• Consistent Age & Gender Effects: In nearly every country studied, young adults and men reported higher narcissism than older adults and women.

Source: Michigan State University

Context: Popular media and cultural stereotypes often portray narcissism as especially common in the United States or concentrated among certain professions. However, research from Michigan State University’s Department of Psychology finds a different picture: narcissistic traits are prevalent across many countries and follow similar demographic patterns worldwide. The study’s large, diverse sample provides a robust look at how narcissism varies by age, gender, perceived social status, and national context.

Narcissism is a psychological trait characterized by an inflated self-view combined with lower levels of empathy and a strong focus on the self. The new study, published in the journal Self and Identity, analyzed survey responses from over 45,000 people in 53 countries—one of the largest and most culturally varied psychological data sets to date.

Researchers examined how age, gender and perceived social status related to two dimensions of narcissism—admiration (grandiose self-regard) and rivalry (antagonistic self-defense)—and whether cultural factors such as individualism versus collectivism and national gross domestic product (GDP) influenced those relationships.

Mean levels of narcissism did vary by country. The five nations with the highest average scores were Germany, Iraq, China, Nepal and South Korea, while the five lowest-scoring countries were Serbia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark. Despite these differences in averages, demographic patterns were strikingly similar across the globe: younger people reported higher narcissism than older people, men scored higher than women, and individuals who perceived themselves to have higher social status reported greater narcissistic tendencies.

The team also found that people from countries with higher GDPs tended to report higher narcissism overall. Unexpectedly, more collectivistic cultures did not uniformly show lower narcissism; in some cases, collectivistic societies recorded comparable or even higher levels of narcissistic admiration than more individualistic nations—challenging the simplistic view that narcissism is a byproduct only of individualistic cultural values.

“We observed cultural variation in mean levels of narcissism, but the age and gender differences were remarkably consistent across countries,” said William Chopik, associate professor of psychology and co-author of the study. “Being young nearly everywhere involves a stronger self-focus, and life experiences appear to reduce that focus in similar ways across diverse cultural contexts.”

Co-author Macy Miscikowski, a research associate, noted that even in societies typically described as group-oriented, self-focused behaviors still appear and follow the same demographic patterns. The findings encourage further study into how biological development, life experiences, economic conditions, and cultural expectations interact to shape the expression of narcissistic traits over the lifespan.

Key Questions Answered:

Editorial Notes:

• This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
• The journal paper was reviewed in full by the editorial team.
• Additional contextual information was added by staff to clarify the research findings.

About this psychology and self-centeredness research news

Author: Jack Harrison ([email protected])
Source: Michigan State University
Contact: Jack Harrison – Michigan State University
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. “Cultural moderation of demographic differences in narcissism” by William Chopik et al., published in Self and Identity. The study provides comprehensive, cross-national evidence on how demographic and cultural factors relate to narcissistic admiration and rivalry.

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Abstract

Cultural moderation of demographic differences in narcissism

This study analyzed demographic differences in narcissism across 53 countries using a sample of over 45,000 participants. It examined associations between age, gender, perceived social status and two aspects of narcissism—admiration and rivalry—and tested whether cultural variables such as individualism/collectivism and national GDP moderated these associations.

Consistent with prior work, younger adults, men, and individuals who perceived themselves as higher status reported higher narcissism. Narcissistic admiration and rivalry followed similar demographic trends. People from higher-GDP countries and, counter to expectations, from some more collectivistic cultures reported elevated levels of narcissism, particularly for admiration. Despite differences in average levels across nations, demographic patterns were generally consistent worldwide.