Study finds similar narcissism patterns across countries ^{CEFR B2}

The study, published in the journal Self and Identity, analysed responses from more than 45,000 people in 53 countries and reports consistent patterns in narcissistic traits across cultures. Narcissism was described as the combination of very high self‑esteem and relatively low empathy, an excessive positive focus on the self, and a low regard for others. The research team measured differences by age, gender and perceived status and considered cross‑country variables such as individualism versus collectivism and gross domestic product (GDP).

Among national results, the five countries with the highest overall narcissism scores were Germany, Iraq, China, Nepal and South Korea, while the lowest scores were in Serbia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark; the United States ranked 16th. The study found that younger adults scored higher than older adults and that men scored higher than women, patterns that held across most countries. Researchers also observed a link between national wealth and higher narcissism.

Team members said they were surprised that collectivistic, group‑oriented cultures did not show greatly different patterns from more individualistic ones. The authors suggest these findings support further study of how cultural and biological influences, together with life experiences, social expectations and economic context, interact to shape the expression of narcissistic traits across the lifespan.