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Today's college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than their predecessors, according to a comprehensive new study by five psychologists who worry that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society.
"We need to stop endlessly repeating 'You're special' and having children repeat that back," said the study's lead author, Professor Jean Twenge of San Diego State University. "Kids are self-centered enough already."
Twenge and her colleagues examined the responses of 16,475 college students nationwide who completed an evaluation3 called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory4 test.
The standardized5 inventory, known as the NPI, asks for responses to such statements as "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place," "I think I am a special person" and "I can live my life any way I want to."
The researchers describe their study as the largest ever of its type and say students' NPI scores have risen steadily6 since the current test was introduced in 1982. By 2006, they said, two-thirds of the students had above-average scores, 30 percent more than in 1982.
Narcissism7 can have benefits, said study co-author W. Keith Campbell of the University of Georgia, suggesting it could be useful in meeting new people "or auditioning8 on 'American Idol9.'"
"Unfortunately, narcissism can also have very negative consequences for society, including the breakdown10 of close relationships with others," he said.
The study asserts that narcissists "are more likely to have romantic relationships that are short-lived, at risk for infidelity, lack emotional warmth, and to exhibit game-playing, dishonesty, and over-controlling and violent behaviors."
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美国五位心理学家所做的一项最新综合研究表明，如今的大学生比过去的大学生更加自恋、自我为中心的思想较严重。心理学家担心，这一趋势会对人际关系和美国社会产生不良影响。
研究报告的主要撰写人、圣地亚哥州立大学的琼·特温吉说：“我们不能总是对孩子们说‘你很特别’之类的话，这会让他们自我感觉太好，现在的孩子自我为中心的思想已经很严重了。”
特温吉和其他几位同事对来自全国各地的共16475名大学生进行了一项名为“自恋人格调查”的测试，并对他们所做的回答进行了探究。
这项标准化测试（NPI）让调查对象对如 “如果我能统治世界，我会让世界变得更好”、“我觉得自己很特别”及“我可以选择自己喜欢的任何生活方式”等说法做出回应。
研究人员称此项研究为迄今为止同类研究中规模最大的一次。从1982年“自恋人格调查”测试引进以来，接受测试学生的NPI得分一直是稳步升高。据研究人员介绍，截至2006年，三分之二学生的得分超过平均分，比1982年多30%。
研究报告撰写人之一、乔治亚大学的W·凯斯·坎贝尔说，自恋也有一些好处，比如在结识新朋友或“参加‘美国偶像’试镜”时能起到一定作用。
“但不幸的是，自恋也会对社会产生一些十分消极的影响，其中包括导致和他人关系的破裂等。”
此项研究指出，自恋的人“更容易与别人发生短暂的恋情，对爱人不贞、缺乏温情，此外，他们还比较贪玩、不诚实、控制欲强，还有暴力倾向。”
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