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Narcissistic people most likely to emerge as leaders

eurekalert.org — When a group is without a leader, you can often count on a narcissist to take charge, a new study suggests. Researchers found that people who score high in narcissism tend to take control of leaderless groups. Narcissism is a trait in which people are self-centered, exaggerate their talents and abilities, and lack empathy for others.

Who dugg this? Made popular Oct 8, 2008

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  • Poochyfud, on 10/08/2008, -2/+54The only people who deserve "power" are the ones smart enough to realize that they don't want it.
  • avataros, on 10/07/2008, -0/+43I thought we figured that out the first day of kindergarten.
  • thegrantman, on 10/07/2008, -1/+42No *****!
  • MacBookForMe, on 10/07/2008, -1/+38Napoleon Bonaparte...Vladimir I.U.Lenin...Adolph Hitler...Benito Musoolini...Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin...Sadam Husein...Muammar al-Gaddafi..Fidel Castro...

    Winston Churchill...John F.Kennedy...Helmut Kohl...Margaret Thatcher...Bill Clinton...Tony Blair...Nicolas Sarkozy...Vladimir Putin...
  • rz8472, on 10/08/2008, -4/+31Exaggerate their talents and abilities? You betcha!
  • koldmilk, on 10/08/2008, -3/+28So douche bags like to be leaders?
  • piratearggghhh, on 10/08/2008, -1/+25AKA the ***** boss who doesn't do ***** and takes credit for the REAL workers.
  • sockpuppets, on 10/08/2008, -1/+23Your wife tells me otherwise.
  • DucoNihilum, on 10/08/2008, -5/+26Narcissists aren't inherently corrupt.
  • idontlikeyou2, on 10/08/2008, -0/+13There's two component to this equation. The person that rises to the top and the people that allows that person to rise to the top
  • iamsmooth, on 10/08/2008, -0/+13Hey, look, more news:

    Smart people most likely to make more money than you.

    Also:

    Athletic people most likely to emerge as athletes.
  • MLGLies, on 10/08/2008, -1/+14Obviously it's all about me. I have run over 9000 companies, and none of you can compare to that. You all suck.
  • avrygoodfrnd, on 10/08/2008, -2/+15...George Bush ;)
  • Frixionburne, on 10/08/2008, -2/+15It's not that I'm a narcissist, It's just that I do everything better than you.
  • jtbell04, on 10/08/2008, -1/+13People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder are basically self-serving sociopaths.

    But dammit if they don't get things done.
  • SlewDigger, on 10/08/2008, -1/+12To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary; anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.
  • chubbybubba, on 10/08/2008, -2/+13The great thing about Narcissists becoming leaders is that you eventually get to watch their spectacular failure.
  • Frixionburne, on 10/08/2008, -2/+12via go-kart?
  • slvrbullet87, on 10/08/2008, -2/+12It would mean Obama is a narcissist as well... you should try not stretching everything into a McCain bash
  • sockpuppets, on 10/08/2008, -0/+10No but she wears a helmet for safety nonetheless.
  • SifuMoKung, on 10/08/2008, -0/+9I am a leader and I'm humble.
    In fact, my humility is what sets me above most people.
  • Tynan, on 10/08/2008, -1/+9It's lonely at the top. We shouldn't be surprised that the only people willing to go there are the ones who aren't afraid of being alone.
  • DucoNihilum, on 10/08/2008, -1/+9In other news, politicians tend to like power more so than non politicians, sugar is sweet, and putting your hand on the stove might hurt if it's on!
  • SteelChicken, on 10/08/2008, -0/+7we did, but lets waste money on a study anyways
  • inactive, on 10/08/2008, -1/+8I always wonder... Did Jesus ever actually think of himself as the son of God, or was that something people just made up about him after he died? One has to wonder... Maybe things didn't happen anything like what the Bible says... Maybe Jesus was just this guy, you know? Went around, telling people to be nice to each other for a change, and before you know it, things get out of hand and you've got an entire religion.
  • droplister, on 10/08/2008, -1/+7If you told me that was from The Onion I'd believe you. Obvious is obvious.
  • inactive, on 10/08/2008, -0/+6Is it a well known fact, or do you realize you just paraphrased a whole chapter of a Douglas Adams book?
  • inactive, on 10/08/2008, -0/+6If you're not a Christian, though, it matters a great deal - depending on the literal truth of the stories, the message is either "Damn the Man and stop being ***** to each other," or "You're going to burn in Hell for all eternity for not worshiping me."
  • jinsundo, on 10/08/2008, -0/+6Research Ponerology-- The study of the nature Macro-social Evil. I think power does not
    corrupt but it's more like the corrupt who seek power.
  • duhduhduh, on 10/08/2008, -0/+6Hate to be redundant, but duh duh duh.
  • GorfTron, on 10/08/2008, -1/+7He's over 9000!!!
  • CaptainChad, on 10/08/2008, -1/+7Not exactly. There are several benefits of being that type of person. One is that you can make tough decisions, even if they negatively affect others. Another benefit is that you have no problem taking the leadership position, because you believe you are capable enough to do it. In fact, you typically believe you are the best person for the job. And if you're smart enough, then your self-centered decision making process may actually end up being good for the others around you.
  • jaywalker, on 10/08/2008, -3/+9he thought he was the son of GOD for christ's sake!
  • doublefelix, on 10/08/2008, -0/+6I don't know, but if we were to take the word of one of McCains' childhood 'friends': "....he was a mean little *****".
  • passedoutghost, on 10/08/2008, -4/+9I know I'm a Christian and will seem biased, but Jesus was selfless and died for our sins. Well, according to the Bible at least. I don't think there's any other sources which say that he was a narcissist.
  • inactive, on 10/08/2008, -0/+4"***** human trait in which communism will constantly struggle with."
    ... and democracy, dictatorship, socialism, fascism, republicanism, or the larger more appropriate, all encompassing oligarchy which is what you usually have in most of these cases anyway.
  • JoshuaGross, on 10/08/2008, -3/+7Either he was insane (and a narcissist) or he was the Son of God. I happen to believe he was the Son of God.
  • fauxbro, on 10/08/2008, -4/+8So this means that McCain/Palin are narcissist, right?
  • statuescrumble, on 10/08/2008, -2/+6John McCain, Barack Obama
  • VieRelative, on 10/08/2008, -0/+4Note, the study's conclusions aren't as obvious as people make it out to be. There are two interesting things it says:
    1. People are more likely to see narcissists as leaders.
    2. Narcissists don't make better leaders than anyone else.

    Except that the study showed no such result.
    They defined narcissists as people who want power and attention. But they point out that there was no correlation between the need for attention and the perception that the person is a leader.
    Point 2 is also inconclusive when you look at how they came to that conclusion:
    "In a second study, 408 students were placed in groups of four and given a scenario in which they imagined they were shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and had to choose which 15 salvageable items that the group should take ashore which will best help them survive.
    [...]
    Researchers looked at the lists, prepared by each individual and group, of the 15 items that they thought would help them survive. They compared their lists to one prepared by an expert who has taught survival skills to the U.S military."
    Seriously? Give a task to four people that doesn't actually require much teamwork and then judge one guy's effectiveness as a leader based on the effectiveness of the team's work?

    So, all the study really found was this:
    - People who seek power are often perceived as taking leadership roles.

    And we haven't even seen the personality questionnaire, maybe they decided that these people seek power because they answered yes to questions like:
    Have you ever been in a position of leadership such as school president?
    Do you think you are an effective leader?
    Do others think you are an effective leader?

    So, basically, that's one fluffy study that makes garbage claims.
  • yolanda1222, on 10/08/2008, -0/+4@macweirdo

    there's really no way of knowing. the gospels were written decades after the events they describe. there were many other accounts written as well, but the people compiling the NT decided not to include them for whatever reason. google "gnostic gospels"

    that's not to say there's nothing to be gained from reading stories about Jesus. My guess is that it probably went down like you said, just a really cool guy, a freedom fighter, whose divinity became blown out of proportion through the years, as happens with all mythological figures. If you're a true Christian, it shouldn't matter how much of it is literal or whether Jesus even really existed. The truth lies in the overall message.
  • riptor666, on 10/08/2008, -0/+4There is just too much stress involved with leading and you are secluded from the rest of the group since you elevate yourself on this pedestal. This also makes you a target for the rest of the group to pick off if you ***** up or are overbearing in anyway.
  • jaywalker, on 10/08/2008, -3/+6@passedout & joshua

    ...and also like George Bush saying he talks to god.

    Either GW is insane and a narcissist or he really does speak to god. I happen to believe he talks to god. That's why i
    voted for him again.
  • catxors, on 10/08/2008, -0/+3But the study found that they didn't perform better as leaders.
  • iancgi, on 10/08/2008, -0/+3Here is the reason all our leaders are criminals. Exaggerate this study to a worldwide scale.
  • Infra6x, on 10/08/2008, -0/+3Replace "narcissist" with "sociopath" and you have something much more comprehendable.
  • ASSASSYN360, on 10/08/2008, -0/+3I will be your greatest leader. I and only I can provide whom ever I lead to victory and domination of any opponent. I am your man! I will weed out the weak amongst us that hold you and I back.
  • Garmr, on 10/08/2008, -3/+5But they certainly do corrupt their surroundings.
  • LilRabbitFooFoo, on 10/08/2008, -1/+3Yes, yet another article that screams for the "Well No Duh!" Bury option on Digg
  • inactive, on 10/08/2008, -0/+2The best leaders are the ones that make you think they are humble.
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