The researchers analyzed the gender differences in narcissism across
more than 300 "journal articles, dissertations, manuscripts and technical
manuals."
In January, it was reported on a
study by researchers at Ohio State
University who found that men who regularly post pictures of themselves on
social media score higher on measures of narcissism and psychopathy than their peers. In particular, men who edited their selfies before posting were found to be
the most narcissistic.
However, that study - published
in the journal Personality and Individual Differences - did not compare data
for men against data for women.
For the new study, which is
published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, researchers from the
University at Buffalo School of Management, NY, analyzed the gender differences
in narcissism across more than 300 "journal articles, dissertations,
manuscripts and technical manuals." Overall, the study took in 30 years of
research and more than 475,000 participants.
In particular, the researchers
focused on three aspects of narcissism:
Leadership/authority
Grandiose/exhibitionism
Entitlement.
The widest gender gap in the study was in entitlement, the authors
report. They say this suggests that men are more likely than women to exploit
others and that they feel a greater entitlement to certain privileges.
The second largest gender gap was
in leadership/authority, which led the researchers to note that men
"exhibit more assertiveness and desire for power" compared with
women.
However, there was no significant
gender difference in regards to exhibitionism, which suggests that men and women
are likely to be equally as vain or self-absorbed.
Looking at data from college
students for the period 1990-2013, the team reports it found no evidence of
either gender becoming more or less narcissistic over time.
How is narcissism linked with gender stereotypes?
Previous research has found that
personality differences such as narcissism are related to gender stereotypes
and expectations.
For instance, lead author Emily
Grijalva, PhD, assistant professor of organization and human resources, notes
the lack of women in senior roles of leadership could be influenced by
disparities in perceptions of femininity and leadership.
"Individuals tend to observe
and learn gender roles from a young age, and may face backlash for deviating
from society's expectations," she suggests. "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."
How much of a problem is
narcissism?
Grijalva explains the pros and
cons of narcissism:
"Narcissism is associated with various interpersonal dysfunctions, including an inability to
maintain healthy long-term relationships, unethical behavior and aggression. At the same time,
narcissism is shown to boost self-esteem,
emotional stability and the tendency
to emerge as a leader. By examining gender differences in narcissism, we may be
able to explain gender disparities in these important outcomes."
In 2014, Medical News Today
reported on narcissism research by Brad Bushman, a professor of communication
and psychology at Ohio State University,
who said that "narcissism is problematic
for both individuals and society. Those who think they are already great
don't try to improve themselves. And narcissism is bad for society because
people who are only thinking of themselves and their own interests are less
helpful to others."
To that end, Bushman and
colleagues at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy developed a test for
narcissism that consisted simply of one question: "To what extent do you
agree with this statement: 'I am a narcissist.'"
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