Well, according to a bunch of psychologists — one of whom is promoting her new book — they are. But where was the study published?

Um, it wasn’t.

The lead researcher on the study, Jean Twenge, has a defunct blog, a Q & A on her work, and a website promoting her new book. She also likes to make dire predictions:

“[These findings make] me very, very worried,” said Jean Twenge, the San Diego State associate professor who is lead author of the report. “I’m concerned we are heading to a society where people are going to treat each other badly, either on the street or in relationships.”

I’d be more nervous about researchers who publish studies as press releases, coincidentally just in time to help promote the launch of a new book. Reliably, news organizations ate the story up without much of a critical eye.

Are college students more narcissistic? My question would be, more narcissistic than whom? Not the general population, since the Narcissistic Personality Inventory was created in 1979, nearly 40 years ago, based upon DSM-III criteria for the disorder.

Article: Study finds students narcissistic

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 Jun 2008
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.