Michigan State University in the United States recently released a ranking of the “world’s most narcissistic countries,” with Germany taking the top spot, followed by Iraq, and China in third place. In response, Professor Yaoyuan Yeh, Chair of International Studies at the University of St. Thomas, stated bluntly that whether a country develops collective narcissism has nothing to do with the ethnicity or blood lineage of the nation; rather, a narcissistic country is the result of what the government can create through education and propaganda.
According to the Liberty Times report, Yaoyuan Yeh posted on his Facebook fan page, “Professor Yeh’s International Affairs Institute,” on the 24th, sharing three of his own observations. He believes that for many years, the Chinese government has continuously emphasized to its people the history of colonial and imperialist invasions, while at the same time lavishly touting the glories of ancient dynasties—even though those historical events may not actually be worth celebrating. Furthermore, in order to consolidate its rule, the Chinese Communist Party desperately needs citizens to blindly trust in the so-called “great rejuvenation of China.” With the layering of all these factors, the unique status quo of widespread narcissism in contemporary Chinese society has been created.
When discussing differences between the U.S. and China, Yeh, drawing on his nearly 20 years of living experience in the U.S., pointed out that the core spirit of American society carries a pragmatic sense of business, combined with an extreme emphasis on individual liberty and “self” values. He emphasized, “These two can seem alike in some ways, but are fundamentally different.”
The Michigan State University study covered 53 countries globally, surveying approximately 45,800 respondents. By evaluating interviewees on their “narcissistic personality traits,” it analyzed how nationality, gender, and subjective social status influence these traits. The research indicated that people from collectivist cultures were actually more likely to exhibit exaggerated feelings of self-superiority than those from individualistic societies like the United States.
The study also released a total ranking of “the world’s most narcissistic countries,” with Germany as the champion, followed by Iraq, China, Nepal, and South Korea in the top five. Conversely, the bottom five countries with the lowest degree of narcissism were: Serbia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Denmark. As for the United States—which is often cited as a classic example of self-centeredness around the world—it only ranked 16th, overturning past stereotypes.
Associate Professor of Personality Psychology, Joshua Pique, stated in an interview that although American society is often used as an example of narcissism in public discussions—making many instinctively assume Americans rank extremely high worldwide in narcissism—“The reality is that although Americans’ narcissism levels are relatively high, they are by no means the most extreme.”
Pique also mentioned that, in terms of demographics, the study found that younger groups generally showed higher levels of narcissism than older people. He believes this is because young people are in a stage of “developing self-identity.” In addition, the study found that, overall, male respondents exhibited significantly more self-centered tendencies than female respondents.
Pique also emphasized there are actually significant “individual differences” within each country: “There are narcissists, and there are also humble, low-profile people; we cannot generalize based on nationality.”