Birth Cohort Increases in Narcissistic Personality Traits Among American College Students, 1982-2009

Previous research produced conflicting results on whether narcissistic personality traits have increased among American college students over the generations. Confounding by campus may explain the discrepancy. Study 1 updates a nationwide meta-analysis of college students' scores on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and controls for campus (k = 107; N = 49,818). In Study 2, the authors examine NPI scores among the students on one university campus, the University of South Alabama, between 1994 and 2009 (N = 4,152). Both studies demonstrate significant increases in narcissism over time (Study 1 d = .37, 1982-2008, when campus is controlled; Study 2 d = .37, 1994-2009). These results support a generational differences model of individual personality traits reflecting changes in culture.