Do Today's Young People Really Think They Are So Extraordinary?: An Examination of Secular Trends in Narcissism and Self-Enhancement
Abstract
The present research investigated secular trends in narcissism and self-enhancement over the past three decades. Despite recent claims about the impact of the "self-esteem movement" on the current generation of young people, we found no evidence that college students' scores on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory increased from the 1980s through 2007 (N= 26,867), although we did find small changes in specific facets of narcissism. Similarly, we found no evidence that high school students' level of self-enhancement, defined by the discrepancy between their perceived intelligence and their actual academic achievements, increased from 1976 to 2006 (N= 410,527). These results cast doubt on the belief that today's young people have increasingly inflated impressions of themselves compared with previous generations.
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From young adulthood onward, narcissism tends to decline gradually.
“Cross-sectional evidence suggests that from young adulthood onward, narcissism tends to decline gradually (Foster, Campbell, & Twenge, 2003; Klimstra et al., 2018; Trzesniewski, Donnellan, & Robins, 2008).”
From The "Why" and "How" of Narcissism: A Process Model of Narcissistic Status Pursuit (2020) · cites this paper as Trzesniewski, Donnellan, & Robins, 2008
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- Authors
- Trzesniewski, K. H., Donnellan, M. B., & Robins, R. W.
- Affiliations
- Western University (CA)
- Michigan State University (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- Corresponding author
- Trzesniewski, Kali H.
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 181-188
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2154288602
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 17.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Keywords
- narcissism, self-enhancement, secular trends, university students, high school students, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, perceived intelligence, academic performance, generational differences
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Male, Narcissism, Personality Inventory, Schools, Self Concept, Students
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