Shadowing Practice: The psychology of narcissism - W. Keith Campbell - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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The First Selfie Way before the first selfie,
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The First Selfie Way before the first selfie,
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the ancient Greeks and Romans had a myth about someone a little too obsessed with his own image.
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In one telling, Narcissus was a handsome guy wandering the world in search of someone to love.
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After rejecting a nymph named Echo,
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he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in a river and fell in love with it.
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Unable to tear himself away, Narcissus drowned.
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A flower marked the spot where he died,
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and we call that flower the Narcissus.
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The myth captures the basic idea of narcissism,
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elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement.
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But it's not just a personality type that shows up in advice columns.
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It's actually a set of traits classified and studied by psychologists.
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The psychological definition of narcissism Narcissism is an inflated, grandiose self-image.
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To varying degrees, narcissists think they're better looking,
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smarter, and more important than other people,
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and that they deserve special treatment.
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Psychologists recognize two forms of narcissism as a personality trait,
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grandiose and vulnerable narcissism.
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There's also narcissistic personality disorder,
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a more extreme form which we'll return to shortly.
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Grandiose narcissism is the most familiar kind,
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characterized by extroversion, dominance, and attention-seeking.
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Grandiose narcissists pursue attention and power,
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sometimes as politicians, celebrities, or cultural leaders.
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Of course, not everyone who pursues these positions of power is narcissistic.
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Many do it for very positive reasons,
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like reaching their full potential or helping make people's lives better.
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But narcissistic individuals seek power for the status and attention that goes with it.
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Meanwhile, vulnerable narcissists can be quiet and reserved.
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They have a strong sense of entitlement but are easily threatened or slighted.
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In either case, the dark side of narcissism shows up over the long term.
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Narcissists tend to act selfishly,
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so narcissistic leaders may make risky or unethical decisions,
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and narcissistic partners may be dishonest or unfaithful.
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When their rosy view of themselves is challenged,
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they can become resentful and aggressive.
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It's like a disease where the sufferers feel pretty good,
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but the people around them suffer.
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Taken to the extreme, this behavior is classified as a psychological disorder called narcissistic personality disorder.
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It affects 1 to 2% of the population, more commonly men.
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It is also a diagnosis reserved for adults.
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Young people, especially children, can be very self-centered,
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but this might just be a normal part of development.
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The fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual describe several traits associated with narcissistic personality disorder.
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They include a grandiose view of oneself,
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problems with empathy, a sense of entitlement,
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and a need for admiration or attention.
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What makes these traits a true personality disorder is that they take over people's lives and cause significant problems.
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Imagine that instead of caring for your spouse or children,
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you used them as a source of attention or admiration.
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Or imagine that instead of seeking constructive feedback about your performance,
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you instead told everyone who tried to help you that they were wrong.
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So what causes narcissism?
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Twin studies show a strong genetic component,
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although we don't know which genes are involved.
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But environment matters, too.
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Parents who put their child on a pedestal can foster grandiose narcissism,
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and cold, controlling parents can contribute to vulnerable narcissism.
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Narcissism also seems to be higher in cultures that value individuality and self-promotion.
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In the United States, for example,
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narcissism as a personality trait has been rising since the 1970s,
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when the communal focus of the 60s gave way to the self-esteem movement and a rise in materialism.
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Recently, social media has multiplied the possibilities for self-promotion.
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Though it's worth noting that there's no clear evidence that social media causes narcissism,
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rather, it provides narcissists a means to seek social status and attention.
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So can narcissists improve on those negative traits?
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Yes.
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Anything that promotes honest reflection on their own behavior and caring for others,
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like psychotherapy or practicing compassion towards others, can be helpful.
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The difficulty is, it can be challenging for people with narcissistic personality disorder to keep working at self-betterment.
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For a narcissist, self-reflection is hard from an unflattering angle.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the video "The psychology of narcissism" by W. Keith Campbell offers valuable english speaking practice opportunities. The topic is not only intellectually stimulating but also rich in emotional expression, which can enhance your speaking skills. Speaking about complex subjects like psychology helps learners articulate their thoughts more clearly and confidently. By discussing themes of narcissism, empathy, and self-reflection, you strengthen your ability to engage in meaningful conversations. Practicing with this content enables you to incorporate advanced vocabulary and develop a nuanced understanding of how to express ideas effectively in English.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the video, several key grammatical structures and expressions are evident. Here are a few that can enhance your speaking skills:

  • Present Perfect Tense: Campbell uses this tense to denote ongoing relevance, as in “narcissism has been rising.” Practicing this structure can help learners convey past actions with ongoing significance.
  • Conditional Sentences: Phrasings like “imagine that instead of caring for your spouse…” can be a great way to explore hypothetical situations in conversation and improve conditional speaking.
  • Use of Passive Voice: In statements like “it is also a diagnosis reserved for adults,” the passive voice emphasizes the action over the subject, making it essential for learners to master for formal discussions.
  • Descriptive Language: Adjectives like "grandiose" and "vulnerable" enhance detail in speaking. Incorporating more descriptive vocabulary will make your speech more engaging.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When practicing with this video, pay attention to the following tricky words and phrases that may challenge your pronunciation:

  • Narcissism: This word can be difficult to pronounce correctly, especially the 'sis' part. Practice breaking it down: nar-cis-sism.
  • Grandiose: Be mindful of the syllables and stress. Ensure you pronounce it as: gran-de-o-se, focusing on the three distinct parts.
  • Empathy: This word should sound like emp-a-thy, emphasizing the 'e' sound at the beginning.
  • Urgency: Notice how it is pronounced: ur-gen-cy, ensuring the 'g' is not overlooked.

Using techniques like shadow speech or the shadowing technique with this video can significantly improve your pronunciation and fluency. Consider using a shadowing app to repeat and practice phrases, allowing you to develop an authentic accent and rhythm in your speech.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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