Narcissus in chef? How trumps reflects ego us culture

With less than a month to go before Republican primary Iowa Caucus, Donald Trump remains on the presidential polls. Its popularity seems flawless despite cheeky statements, personal insults on its opponents and wild speculation about its perceived narcissistic tendencies.

Trump certainly shows enormous self-respect; in June, for example, he boasted that he was "of the greatest orders President God has ever created." In September he promised, "we have so much win when I get elected that you can get bored with a win." Selfishness is a trait that the Trump does indeed seem proud of. in the year In 2013, he wrote in a Facebook post, "show me someone without an ego and i’ll show you a loser – a healthy ego, or high opinion of yourself, is a real positive in life!"

While Trump’s ego is extreme, it can be an indicator of politics as a whole – and of the American public. Research shows that the political class and people are more concerned with themselves. And this rise in narcissism can affect many elections too come. [The 5 Strangest Presidential Elections in US History]

Ego-driven politicians

Narcissism is an ingredient in call psychologists "dark triad," three traits that are linked to heartlessness and manipulative behavior (the other two are Machiavellianism and psychopathy). When narcissism gets extreme, it can qualify a person for narcissistic personality disorder. This condition is characterized by impairments due to exaggerated self-image, lack of empathy and effort to form deep relationships. A person with the disorder also thinks of feelings claim and grandiosity and will crave attention. [The 10 most controversial psychiatric disorders]

Although some people with narcissistic traits can cover deep insecurity, most narcissistic people believe their own hype, said Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University and author of "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement" (Atria Books, 2010).

"Deep down, narcissists think it’s awesome," said Twenge Life Science.

Some research shows that politicians are more likely than most to admire their own magnificence. In a study published in the 1998 Current Psychology magazine, scientists compared the narcissism results from university faculty members, clergy members, librarians and politicians and found that politicians were significantly more narcissistic than the rest.

More recently, researchers rated each president’s narcissism levels up to and including w., The ratings are based on the opinions of expert historians and biographers. This research, published in December 2013 in the journal Psychological Science, found that presidents are more narcissistic than the general population. In particular, the researchers reported that presidents are high in the so-called "grandiose narcissism," the common version of narcissism characterized by the highest self-confidence and tightness to criticism.

It makes sense that people in politics would be extremely confident and able to brush the criticism that is sure to come their way. But the 2013 study showed something else: Presidents became more and more narcissistic over time. And in that sense Trump can only make the logical conclusion for an ongoing trend.

A society of narcissists?

Twenge and her colleagues have found that narcissism is on the rise in the United States, a conclusion based on large surveys in which people have questions about their self-esteem and life expectations. This work is not without controversy, but Twenge argues that the survey results mesh with signs of increasing narcissism than found in other domains: people believe in their own uniqueness, the rise in plastic surgery (greater than what can be expected from affordability alone) would), individualistic language in books and song lyrics, increasing desire for fame and even increasingly unique baby names.

To the extent that the general public becomes more self-involved, politicians could be increasingly ego-driven, as well. But presidential races are breeding grounds for narcissism, as is any cultural self-centeredness. Around-the-clock media control and social media mud fights are likely to run nonegotistical by themselves, said Ashley Watts, a PhD student at Emory University in Atlanta and an author of the 2013 study on President Narcissism.

"I think presidents [now] are more vulnerable to the media and the public," said Watt life science. "We are perhaps the type of people who cannot handle this type of control."

However, she warned that with only 42 points, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the ego presidential election over time.

Celebrities such as politicians, score higher in narcissism than the general public, Twenge noted.

"No matter the public performance involves, people tend to be more involved in narcissism on average," she said.

Two sides of narcissism

In general, Twenge said, narcissism is always more acceptable to Americans than in previous generations, regardless of whether you deny the requirement that self-centeredness is on the rise. [7 personality traits that are bad for you]

"When our studies on narcissism came out, it was a very common response," but not so good? Humans don’t have to be narcissistic and self-centered to be successful? ‘"she said.

Watt and her colleagues found that narcissism was linked to performance, at least in presidents. The more narcissistic presidents, the more likely he was to outperform in crisis management, agenda setting and public persuasion. In other words, narcissism has its downsides.

"Narcissists are generally charming and well preserved by others, at least in the short term," said Watt. They are often extroverted, people find them attractive, she said. They also tend to be high on inconvenience, characterized by inconvenience, personality trait and, in the short term, some level of inconvenience can be attractive, Watts said.

"Perhaps the reason why Donald Trump draws people, at least in the short term, is what he says, what appears to be on people’s heads or at least on people’s heads is what he claims" Watts said.

But Watts research found that in the long run, inconvenience becomes a problem. Narcissistic presidents are more likely to have impeachment resolutions brought against them, are more likely to gain political advantage over good politics, and are more likely to find unethical behavior, Watt and her colleagues have found.

Usually narcissism does not seem to help people who climb, but narcissism with long-term leadership success, found a 2015 review of the research published in the journal Personalpsychologie. In one of the reviewed studies, researchers assigned foreign groups that met over a 12-week period. The researchers reported in the journal Personality and Individual Differences in January 2015 that narcissistic tendencies predicted that leadership positions in the groups would take on the first but not later.

"Despite enjoying a grace period of leadership, the attractiveness and attractiveness of narcissistic leaders quickly wane," the researchers wrote.

So while an ego like Trumps can inspire, narcissists are more questionable about long-term leadership skills.

"Politics are performed more publicly, attracting people higher in narcissism," said Twenge. "So we end up with more politicians who are charismatic and confident and we like only in the short term, but more that disappointed us in the long term."

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