Narcissism may benefit the young, researchers report; but older
adults? Not so much A new study by University of Illinois
psychology professor Brent Roberts (right) and postdoctoral
researcher Patrick Hill suggests that narcissism can be useful
in early but not late life. Credit: L. Brian Stauffer We all
know one, or think we do: the person whose self-regard seems out
of proportion to his or her actual merits. Popular culture
labels these folks "narcissists," almost always a derogatory
term. But a new study suggests that some forms of narcissism are
at least in the short term beneficial, helping children navigate
the difficult transition to adulthood. The study appears in the
journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. "Most
people think of narcissism as a trait that doesn't change much
across the lifespan," said postdoctoral researcher Patrick Hill,
who conducted the study with University of Illinois psychology
professor Brent Roberts. "But a lot of recent studies have shown
that the developmental