Does narcissism decrease with age?

A recent study from the American Psychological Association has found that people tend to become less narcissistic as they age. The study which analysed data from 51 longitudinal studies, measured how the levels of narcissism in 37,247 participants (52% female and 48% male), from aged from 8 to 77, changed over time.

Three different types of narcissism were measured. Agentic Narcissism which includes feelings of grandiosity or superiority and a strong need for admiration. Antagonistic Narcissism which includes arrogance, entitlement, callousness and low empathy, and Neurotic Narcissism involves emotional dysregulation and hypersensitivity. Overall, it was found that all three types declined from childhood through to old age and also that differences among individuals remained stable over time, so that individuals who were more narcissistic than their peers during childhood tended to remain that way as adults.

There are a number of possibilities that could explain a decrease. As people grow older, they often become less self-centred, more focused on others and emotionally stable which would correspond to a reduction in narcissistic traits such as entitlement and self-absorption. Life experiences, such as forming relationships, raising children, and facing career challenges can increase empathy, patience, and a broader perspective which can also counteract narcissistic tendencies, whilst roles often taken on by older people such as caregiving and responsibility for others, promotes selflessness and concern for the well-being of others.

Cultural norms and expectations can also influence personality traits over a lifetime. In many cultures, older adults are expected to be wise, generous, and community-oriented, which can encourage a reduction in narcissistic behaviour. Social feedback and the need to maintain relationships may also push individuals to adopt more co-operative and less self-centred behaviours as they age. Psychological growth including increased emotional regulation and improved coping mechanisms can contribute to reduced narcissism whilst the biological changes in the brain related to aging can play a role in altering personality traits, including a potential decline in narcissistic tendencies.

Living or working with someone who has narcissistic trait can be challenging and this new research may have implications not only for the lives of the narcissistic individuals but also that of their partners, friends, and colleagues.  However, although the research found that on average, narcissism gradually declines as people age, it does also show that narcissism is a very stable personality trait and that it can take decades to see any change.

Leveraging personal connections. It’s an age thing?

Nepotism can take many forms but, however it appears, it’s seen as unethical, leading to a lack of fairness and objectivity in decision-making processes and of creating a negative perception of an organisation that results in reduced trust and respect among employees and stakeholders. Now, a recent survey of 2,000 working age UK adults carried out by ethical hiring experts Applied has looked at the role ‘nepotism’ plays in hiring and how the workforce feels about leveraging personal connections to get ahead. 

The research found that 42% of those surveyed had gained a job or job offer after a referral from a personal connection, that men were 33% more likely to have benefitted and that  younger workers, 68% of Gen Z and 60% of Millennials benefitted compared to 25% of over-55s. 24% of the Gen Z workers were unemployed beforehand with 49% entering into entry or junior roles, 27% into middle-management positions and 14% into a senior management role. This would suggest that personal connections play a critical role in helping younger workers with little to no work experience get a foothold on the employment ladder.

There is also a age difference in how people felt about taking advantage of a personal connection to advance their career, 77% of workers across all age groups said that they would but Gen Z respondents were most likely to feel morally conflicted about it with 60% of 18-24 year olds saying they disagreed with leveraging personal connections to land jobs “on principle” or as a matter of ‘fairness’ compared to 41% of over-55s. However, older workers who disagreed with “nepotism” were more likely to stick to their principles. Of the 60% of Gen Z respondents who disagreed with nepotism on principle, 75% said they would take advantage of it anyway. By comparison, 41% of over-55s who thought nepotism was unfair, just 33% said they’d go ahead.

The findings also suggested that some people are worried that nepotism might change how they are perceived by friends and colleagues. This seems to be a bigger issue for older workers with 51% of over-55’s surveyed saying they’d feel comfortable telling friends or colleagues they’d landed a job through a personal connection, compared to 68% of 18-24 year olds, suggesting that younger workers are more prepared to embrace who they know rather than what they know.

In today’s workplace nepotism is a concern for people of all ages and, as the workforce becomes increasingly diverse and globalised, it's important for organisations to prioritise fairness and inclusivity in order to attract and retain top talent from all backgrounds. One-way organisations can address the issue of nepotism is by implementing clear policies and guidelines around hiring, promotion, and other personnel issues so decisions are made based on merit and qualifications, rather than personal connections or biases.

Another approach is to focus on creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace culture, which can help reduce the influence of personal connections and create opportunities for people from all backgrounds to succeed based on their skills and abilities. This may involve initiatives such as unconscious bias training, mentorship and sponsorship programs, and diversity and inclusion task forces or committees.

Ultimately, it's important for organisations and individuals to recognise the negative consequences of nepotism and strive to create a culture of fairness and equal opportunity, based on merit and qualifications, rather than personal connections.