Narcissists think they're better, smarter, and more important than the people around them – and they want to be treated as such, experts say. A new TED-Ed video breaks down the different types of narcissism, from the obvious to the not-so obvious, and explains how these traits almost always take a turn for the dark side.

    Psychologists define narcissism as an "inflated, grandiose self-image," and it has persevered through the centuries as a personality trait and, in extreme cases, a psychological disorder.

    Narcissists have a tendency to act selfishly, according to the lesson by W. Keith Campbell, and this can present itself in many different ways.

    According to the expert, "It's like a disease where the sufferers feel pretty good, but the people around them suffer."

    Political leaders or people of power may make risky or unethical decisions as a result of narcissism, while narcissistic partners could be unfaithful and dishonest.

    As a personality trait, narcissism can appear in two forms: grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism.

    In both forms, however, the dark side of narcissism will ultimately show up over time.

    A much more extreme type of narcissism also exists, and it's classified as a psychological disorder.

    This is known as narcissistic personality disorder.

    Research has linked narcissism to genetics, but it's still unknown which genes actually contribute to this. Genes, environment, and cultural setting can all have a hand in fostering narcissism.

    While social media hasn't been proven to actually create narcissists, it does give them a new platform to garner attention and admiration.

    When a narcissist's self-inflated viewpoint is challenged, a person can become aggressive and resentful. It is possible for narcissists to become more altruistic, the video explains, and this can be done by enroling in psychotherapy, or practicing compassion.

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    自恋

    zìliàn

    narcissism

    inordinate fascination with oneself, excessive self-love

    脆弱的

    cuìruò de

    vulnerable

    open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.

    自恋分三种 你是哪一种？

    有关专家说，自恋者通常认为自己比周围人更聪明、更优秀、更重要——他们也希望别人这样看待他们。

    TED教育频道一个最新的视频讲到，自恋者可被划分为几种不同类型，有些人的自恋程度较明显，有些则不太明显。该视频还解释了这种性格特征为什么常常会产生负面效果。

    心理学家将自恋定义为：“夸张、不切实际的自我形象”。几个世纪以来，人们一直将它看做一种性格特征，在某些极端情况下被看成一种心理障碍。

    基思·坎贝尔在其讲演中指出，自恋者一般都有点自私，并且这种特点会通过许多不同的方式显现出来。

    坎贝尔说，“自恋就像疾病一样，自恋者自我感觉不错，但周围人却因此遭殃。”

    由于自恋，政治领导者或是有权势的人可能会做一些冒险的或不道德的决定。自恋型的伴侣也可能不忠，易出轨。

    作为一种性格特点，自恋可以分为两种形式：浮夸型自恋和脆弱型自恋。

    然而，自恋的这两种形式，最终都会随着时间的推移，展现出自恋的黑暗面。

    还有一种更为极端的自恋类型，它被看成是一种心理障碍。

    即我们通常所说的自恋型人格障碍。

    已经有研究认为自恋与基因有关，但仍无法得知哪种基因更易导致自恋。

    基因、环境、文化背景都可能影响自恋的形成。

    尽管没有证据表明社交媒体为自恋者提供了滋生的土壤，但它确实为自恋者创造了一个赢得别人注意和赞赏的平台。

    当自恋者自我膨胀的观点受到他人质疑时，他可能就会变得咄咄逼人、愤恨不满。

    视频解释道，自恋者也有可能变得更无私，但这可能要通过心理治疗或培养同情心的方式得以实现。