Cultural narcissism is a worldview that revolves around you (A Balanced Use of Educational Media, Personal Communication, September 23, 2019). According to this lecture, cultural narcissism occurs because of television and its appropriation of a self-centered viewpoint. However, there is no link between narcissism and adolescent development in those who watch reality television series (Opree & Kühne, 2022). According to a study done by Opree and Kühne (2022), the negative consequences that followed characters who showed narcissistic traits influenced the opposite actions in the adolescent individuals participating in the study. There is not much known in the development of a personality disorder and how that compares to normal development for adolescents and children (Shiner, 2009). Narcissism as a personality disorder is so complicated and under-researched that it is nearly impossible to pinpoint that television portrayal of self-centeredness is the cause. This is speaking of a psychological perspective and definition of narcissism. The word “narcissism” gets tossed around outside of the psychological world to mean someone who focuses on themselves. By this definition, narcissism is not a negative condition in all circumstances and is needed in the development of neighborly and romantic love. (Hill, 2022). As Hill describes in his analysis of the reality show Love Island (2022), to develop individuality and morals, a self-centered viewpoint is needed. While being completely self-centered would be counterproductive, so would being completely selfless. Television does not influence narcissism based on current research, however, promoting a little selfishness allows for individuals to really assess what they want. It is a balance. Narcissism though is not the term to use to describe this. Perhaps “cultural egotism” is a more appropriate term for this idea and one more research might promote.
Hill, D. W. (2022). Love and Narcissism in Reality Television. Sociological Research Online.
Opree, S. J., Kühne, R. (2022). Linking adolescents’ exposure to and identification with reality tv
to materialism, narcissism, and entitlement. Psychology of popular media. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000426
Shiner, R. L. (2009). The development of personality disorders: Perspectives from normal
personality development in childhood and adolescence. Development and Psychopathology, 21(3), 715-734. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579409000406