Psychological science is full of interesting topics, many of which tell a coherent picture of human nature, but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. A case in point is the tricky, and misunderstood, overlap between strength-based science and the research on narcissism (自恋).
There is now convincing evidence to show that narcissism is on the rise, especially in our youth. Some researchers have gone so far as to say that it is occurring in epidemic proportions, with about 25% of young people showing symptoms of narcissism. The inflated ego of Generation Me is reflected in reality TV, celebrity worship, out-of-control consumerism and materialism…perhaps even a new type of president.
We are correct to be concerned about this phenomenon but our fear that all kids are potential narcissists has caused an unhelpful counter-reaction to approaches that seek to make our children and teens feel good about themselves.
In my own research on strength-based parenting it is common for people to wrongly label this approach as a recipe for narcissism. Their argument seems to be that a child who knows their strengths will automatically view themselves as better than everyone else. It is argued that the self-assurance that comes with identifying and using their positive qualities will make a child arrogant, selfish and uncaring. Genuine confidence about one's strengths is categorized as over-confidence; desirable self-knowledge is branded as excessive self-admiration.
Why does this occur? It's partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals or has been applied only within certain contexts such as the workplace, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and into our collective consciousness. The New York Times noted that narcissism is a favored "go-to" topic and that people everywhere are diagnosing others with it.
The fear that a strength-based approach will cause narcissism also occurs because we unknowingly fall prey to binary (非此即彼) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There's no way that Gandhi and Mother Teresa could have achieved what they did without confidence in their strengths, and yet they are both pillars of modesty and selflessness.
When we assume that strength-focus is the same as a self-focus, We fail to entertain the idea that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be pro-social and focus on helping others.
It's tempting to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I'd like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble — even when they use their strengths.
12. Why teenagers' strengths are often mistaken for narcissism?
A.Strengths psychology is less accessible to the general public. |
B.Academic journals and mass media report more on narcissism. |
C.There is a lack of strengths in our collective consciousness. |
D.Numbers of people are diagnosed with narcissism by doctors. |
13. The author mentions Gandhi and Teresa in paragraph 6 to show that________.
A.they are both victims of binary thinking |
B.one can be both modest and sure of himself |
C.confidence is quite important for celebrities |
D.public figures unknowingly fall prey to narcissism |
14. What's the author's attitude towards young kids' strength-based approaches?
A.Skeptical. |
B.Favorable. |
C.Neutral. |
D.Cautious. |
15. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.Teens' Strength Psychology |
B.Teens' Narcissism Diagnosis |
C.Teen's Anxiety and Depression |
D.Teens' Confidence Misunderstood |