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 endless repeating ’You’re special ’ and having 【M1】__________

children repeat that back,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Jean

Twenge of San Diego State University. “Kids are self-centered enough

already.”

“Fortunately, narcissism can also have very negative consequences 【M2】__________

for society including the breakdown of close relationships toothers,” he 【M3】__________

said. The study asserts that narcissists “are more like to have romantic 【M4】__________

relationships that are short-lived, at a risk for infidelity, lack emotional 【M5】__________

warmth, and to exhibit game-playing, dishonesty, and over-controlling

and violent behaviors.” Twenge, the author of “Generation Me: Why

Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—

and More Miserable Than Ever Before”, said narcissists tend to lack

empathy, react aggressively with criticism and favor self-promotion over 【M6】__________

helping others.

Some analysts have commended today’s young people for increased

commitment to volunteer work. And Twenge viewed even this 【M7】__________

phenomenon skeptically, noting that many high schools require

community service and many youths feel pressure to list some endeavors 【M8】__________

on college applications.

Campbell said the narcissism upsurge seemed so pronounced which 【M9】__________

he was unsure if there were obvious remedies. “Permissiveness seems to

be a component,” he said. “A potential antidote would be authoritative 【M10】_________

parenting. Less indulgence might be called for. “

Yet students, while acknowledging some legitimacy to such

findings, don’t necessarily accept negative generalizations about their

generation.

【M3】