Are narcissists born or made? This is what science says

Are narcissists born or made? This is a question that many of us often ask ourselves given the impact they have on our society. Even so, from the field of psychology we know that narcissistic personality disorder affects only 1% of the population; However, there are subtypes and different typologies that would define a larger number of men and women.

Airs of superiority, manipulation, low empathy, arrogant behavior, need for admiration… Most of us know first-hand that constellation of characteristics that sculpt said profile..

Managers, co-workers, friends and even partners… Living with a narcissist can be very harmful and surviving them, trying to turn the page after having distanced ourselves, often involves having to heal multiple wounds.

Dr. Theodore Millon, a pioneer in the study of personality, already pointed out that this type of behavior could increase in our society over time.

He also told us that There are more and less harmful ones, with prosocial narcissists being the ones who adapt the most. On the other hand, antisocial people would be those who show greater arrogance and aggressiveness, posing a social risk to others.

However, Why did Dr. Millon point out in his book Personality disorders in the modern life that the number of narcissists would grow in the future? Is it because of something genetic or is it perhaps the environment that sculpts this type of harmful behavior? Let’s analyze it below.

Are narcissists born or made?

When asked whether narcissists are born or made, science seems to be clear: they are made.. For decades, it has been suspected that children’s education and social context mediate the appearance of this profile. However, with the passage of time it seems that we are understanding a little better what dynamics, situations and circumstances define it.

For a start, Throughout the 20th century, the idea was conceived that a deficient parenting style, without closeness, without attachment and security, led the child to develop narcissistic feelings.. It was psychoanalysis that, in some way, made us believe that those who did not receive love in childhood, seek reinforcement from others in adulthood and focus all their gazes, affections and admiration on their own person.

Now, Dr. Eddie Brummelmah and his team at the University of Utrecht carried out an interesting investigation in which they demonstrated something very different. It is not a lack of parental affection that generates narcissistic behavior, it is quite the opposite. Overprotection, excessive consent and lack of limits makes the child believe that he is above anyone.

This type of education places them on a pedestal where it is assumed that they are beings with exclusive rights, privileged creatures. What’s more, in this research it was possible to see that it is between the ages of 7 and 12, when narcissistic behavior in a child can already be measured and observed.. It is at that moment when the sense of self emerges and the perception of conceiving of oneself as special boys and girls, as people who deserve more than the rest.

The danger of parental overvaluation

Most of society thinks that narcissists are a product of the environment. In this sense, putting all the responsibility on the shoulders of fathers and mothers often generates some controversy.

Is there a problem with letting our children see that they are loved, that they are special and that they deserve the best? The answer is no. In fact, Educating our children through affection, constant reinforcement and the best attention has a positive impact on their well-being.Now, the problem is overvaluation. In making the child believe “that he is better than others and that he deserves more than anyone.” Therein lies the danger.On the other hand, another factor may occur, and that is that Parents themselves can also exhibit narcissistic behaviors.. Children will end up imitating those same patterns, internalizing them and making them their own for better or worse.

Are narcissists born or made? Let us remember, our society also educates

Psychologist W. Keith Campbell wrote a very interesting work titled The narcissism epidemic: living in the age of entitlement (The Epidemic of Narcissism: Living in the Age of Self-Entitlement). So, Something that should be understood first is that narcissism falls within a spectrum. There will be those who present only some narcissistic traits and others who are part of that 1% that defines narcissistic personality disorder.

It is important to understand that not only the family influences; Society also educates and shapes us. Furthermore, in recent years We are witnessing a greater cult of the “I”, the constant search for like to reinforce the ego and self-esteem. Many of these spheres are fields of cultivation to create neonarcists with alarming frequency.

Let’s be clear, narcissists are not happy people.. Not only do they cause suffering to others, they themselves are eternally dissatisfied, people who beat themselves over and over again against their own frustration.

To conclude, when faced with the question of whether narcissists are born or made, we all know the answer. Therefore, let us try educate the new generations correctly; Empathy, respect and altruism will always be good dimensions to start with.

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