Does confidence really breed success?

[Jazzy]

Research suggests that more and more American university students think they are something special. High self-esteem is generally regarded as a good thing - but could too much of it actually make you less successful?



About nine million young people have filled out the American Freshman Survey, since it began in 1966.



It asks students to rate how they measure up to their peers in a number of basic skills areas - and over the past four decades, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of students who describe themselves as being above average for academic ability, drive to achieve, mathematical ability and self-confidence.



This was revealed in a new analysis of the survey data, by US psychologist Jean Twenge and colleagues.



Another study by Twenge suggested there has been a 30% tilt towards narcissistic attitudes in US students since 1979.



The Oxford English Dictionary defines narcissism as: Excessive self-love or vanity; self-admiration, self-centredness.



Our culture used to encourage modesty and humility and not bragging about yourself, says Twenge. It was considered a bad thing to be seen as conceited or full of yourself.



Not everyone with high self-esteem is a narcissist. Some positive views of the self may be harmless and in fact quite justified.



But one in four recent students responded to a questionnaire, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, in a way which leaned towards narcissistic views of the self.



Though some have argued that narcissism is an essential trait, Twenge and her colleagues see it as negative and destructive.

Are you a narcissist?



The Narcissistic Personality Inventory asks 40 questions, then ranks you on a narcissism scale.



To find out, you can take the quiz here

 

[Jazzy]

Here's my score:



Your Total: 5

Between 12 and 15 is average.

Celebrities often score closer to 18.

Narcissists score over 20.



Here's how you rated on the seven component traits of narcissism:



Narcissistic Trait

Authority: 3.00

Self-Sufficiency: 0.00

Superiority: 0.00

Exhibitionism: 1.00

Exploitativeness: 0.00

Vanity: 1.00

Entitlement: 0.00



Good grief, I'm not even average. Well, we all knew that, right?

 

[Bluezone777]

No and my score was one which I believe is most likely one of the lowest scores you can get.



There is nothing wrong with acknowledging skill when it exists but the problem lies when your opinion of yourself is inflated far beyond what it truly is which leads to all sorts of problems and conflicts.



High and low esteem are not good as a comfortable middle ground which means it's high enough that you think good of yourself but not too high that you start shooting other people down by overly inflating your own abilities and talking down everyone else.

 

[wirelessguru1]

Of course it does.

 

[McConnaughay]

I am not going to do a quiz, but I will say this, throughout my life, the behavior has always been relatively iffy. Before, I had excruciatingly low self-esteem, however, at the same time, because of this low self-esteem, I attempted arrogance as a way to cover up my insecurities. Thankfully, I'd like to think that I've finally gotten to the point that I truly don't think that I am better than everyone, nor do I think that I am worse than everyone.

 

[DrLeftover]

False Confidence, such as is bred in the state schools who polish their student's self esteem without reason, does not lead to success.



I've taken that quiz, I don't remember my score.

 

[Evil Eye]

Authority: 1.00

Self-Sufficiency: 2.00

Superiority: 1.00

Exhibitionism: 0.00

Exploitativeness: 2.00

Vanity: 0.00

Entitlement: 2.00



Coming to a grand total of 8.

Lazy me thinks it's easier to quote myself than to take it again.

Good grief, I'm not even average. Well, we all knew that, right?

You sure scored a lot higher last time

I've taken that quiz, I don't remember my score.

It was a 6.