Men Are More Narcissistic Than Women, Says Study
By Caitlin Moscatello
(Photo: Roland Bello)
Narcissism: An inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity. Describe a lot of guys you know? It might, according to researchers at the University at Buffalo School of Management, who looked at data from more than 475,000 people over three decades and found that, across the board, men are way more into themselves than women. I’ll let you decide if this is surprising or not.
"Narcissism is associated with various interpersonal dysfunctions, including an inability to maintain healthy long-term relationships, unethical behavior and aggression," said lead author Emily Grijalva, Ph.D., assistant professor of organization and human resources in the UB School of Management, in a news release. "At the same time, narcissism is shown to boost self-esteem, emotional stability, and the tendency to emerge as a leader."
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To conduct the study, more than 355 journal articles, manuscripts, and other credible sources were analyzed to compare rates of narcissism among men and women across three different measures: leadership/authority, grandiose/exhibitionism, and entitlement. Men of all ages scored higher in the leadership and entitlement categories, with the latter showing the widest gap between the sexes. In short, men may feel that they “deserve” certain privileges, a belief that fewer women hold.
When it comes to exhibitionism, however, the gap closes. “Both genders are equally likely to display vanity or self-absorption,” said Grijalva.
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Part of the reason for women being less narcissistic (in general) could be due to gender stereotypes that both sexes subscribe to over time, perhaps without even realizing it. “Individuals tend to observe and learn gender roles from a young age and may face backlash for deviating from society’s expectations,” said Grijalva. “In particular, women often receive harsh criticism for being aggressive or authoritative, which creates pressure for women, more so than for men, to suppress displays of narcissistic behavior.”
What do you think of the study’s results? In your experience, are men really more narcissistic than women? Have you seen it the other way around? Could you stand to be a little more narcissistic? Share in the comments.
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