ome psychological research has explored the idea that wealthier Americans are more narcissistic than others — that because they have money, they’re more likely to be self-centered and have feelings of superior self-worth.
Paul K. Piff, a social psychologist and post-doctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, studies how people’s upbringing and social class affects their behavior toward others, and his findings don’t flatter the rich. His studies suggest those from privileged backgrounds have a greater sense of entitlement, and those with less-privileged upbringings “see themselves as deserving of lesser outcomes.” (Participants ranked themselves relative to others in terms of different income, education and occupational prestige.)
A reflection of wealth?
An aspect of Piff’s research touched on the root of narcissism. One of Piff’s studies involved observing whether people would look in the mirror before having their pictures taken, and wealthy subjects were more concerned with their appearances than others.