WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 — You probably know a narcissist — someone who believes he or she is the best at everything and has little regard for others. Now, new research suggests narcissists also tend to have little regard for democracy.

For the study, researchers examined support for democracy in the United States and Poland. The investigators found that narcissists are more likely to feel that democracies do a poor job of maintaining order, and that things would be better if strong leaders or the military were in charge.

Because narcissists tend to feel entitled and superior to others, they are less likely to tolerate diverse political opinions, the study authors explained.

“The jury is out on whether the new generations are becoming more narcissistic than previous ones, but it is important to monitor how societal changes can affect the self,” said study co-leader Aleksandra Cichocka, who’s with the University of Kent’s School of Psychology, in England.

“We need to make sure we are not fostering feelings of entitlement or expectations of special treatment. In the end, these processes may have important implications for our social and political attitudes,” Cichocka concluded in a university news release.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that people with low self-esteem demonstrate low support for democracy.

On the other hand, people who have a positive, non-defensive self-view and trust others are more likely to support democracy, according to the study.

The findings were published recently in the British Journal of Social Psychology.

More information

The American Psychological Association has more on narcissism.

Posted: December 2018

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