Armchair Psychologists: What do you call the syndrome or condition

[Laura PourMeADrink]

when you think you are better than you really are? I just watched
the Couric interview of Palin. She is is floundering - but doesn't
seem to know it. She said she didn't even blink when she was asked
to be VP.

Interview: http://wonkette.com/

To me, a rational, sane, realistic person has qualms when they
are in over their head. It's not about self-confidence, it's about
reality. Like a first year med student being asked to perform
open heart surgery.

Her mind does not go there. You and I might say, shit, I would
love to be VP, but there is just so much I don't know.

[SmokingJacket]

1. Not a psychologist, but I've lived with one:

Narcissism.

[jazzjunkysue]

2. Generic term: Personality disorder.

Self-Grandisement is the refuge of the insecure.

[Fleshdancer]

3. megalomaniac?

megalomaniac

noun
a pathological egotist

[RagAss]

4. Republican !

[OneGrassRoot]

8. A "saved" Republican! n/t

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. lol

[Genevieve]

5. Delusion of Grandeur:

A delusion in which one believes himself possessed of great wealth, intellect, importance and/or power, a common feature of schizophrenia.

[DevonRex]

24. Yep. Grandiosity for short. nt

[livetohike]

6. Egotistical? n/t

[Bucky]

7. I know what you're talking about, a tendency of incompotent people to not know they're fuck ups

I'll google around for it.

[Bucky]

27. FOUND IT! Link to two academic articles on the Psychology of incompetence.

Here's an article (pdf file) on people who are "Blissfully Incompetent"

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/pdf/pspi/pspi5_3editorial.pdf

I can't find an exact name for the syndrome.



The academic to read is in pdf format here. The money quote is this

“When people are incompetent in the strategies they adopt to achieve success and satisfaction, they suffer a dual burden: Not only do they reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it.”

Kruger J, Dunning D (1999). Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. December 1999

[southern_belle]

10. delusional???

:shrug:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. It's an aspect more than a specific disorder

Several personality disorders include "inflated sense of self-importance" (notably paranoia and narcissism)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. I see the paranoia with the brother-in-law deal - thousands of emails

getting his personnel files, etc.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

32. paranoia includes the belief that people CARE what you're doing

"They're out to get me" is egotistical. Why would they bother?

Everyone I've ever met who thought the government put a chip in their head was pretty far down the list of folks you would actually want to control.

[Erin Elizabeth]

12. narcissist

They're the most insufferable people to be around.

[BlooInBloo]

13. Stupid.

[RiverStone]

14. headinthesandapus complex

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. roflmao

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Talking to a 5th grade student that didn't do her homework

It reminded me of teaching 5th grade.

[valerief]

16. Arrogant, self-righteous asshole. No, Cheney's not the only one. nt

[pnwmom]

18. A narcissist with grandiose fantasies.

Unfortunately, in her case these fantasies have some chance of coming true, if this election is stolen.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. Delusions of adequacy.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. that's perfect. It describes her exactly.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

25. very good

[JohnnyCougar]

20. Narcisistic Personality Disorder

She's got it. A good description here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder

[BurtWorm]

22. Irritable Jowl Syndrome.

No wait... that's what McCain has.

:think:

[NoodleyAppendage]

26. Anosognosia = Lack of Awareness. But, in Palin's case it is stupidity paired with narcissism. n/t

J

[IndyOp]

28. Narcissistic Personality Disorder

From Wikipedia:

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-R), the diagnostic classification system used in the United States, as "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy."

The narcissist is described as turning inward for gratification rather than depending on others and as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power and prestige.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder

========

A majority of college students currently qualify for the diagnosis...
http://alex.halavais.net/rising-narcissism-among-college-students/

========

Study finds college students most narcissistic generation
http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/2007/03/09/News/Study.Finds.College.Students.Most.Narcissistic.Generation-2769754.shtml

A report released last week named college students today more in love with themselves than any previous generation - a condition known as narcissism.

Jean M. Twenge, an associate professor of psychology at San Diego State University, defined narcissism in her recent study as "excessive vanity and sense of entitlement."

Twenge's study, which was conducted over the past 24 years, is based on the responses of 16,000 college students who completed a survey that measures narcissism called the "Narcissistic Personality Inventory."

The inventory measures responses to an array of statements, including, "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place," and, "I can live my life any way I want to."

Twenge is also the author of the book, "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled - and More Miserable Than Ever Before," which chronicles reasons why this generation feels and acts the way it does.

[CountAllVotes]

31. you nailed it IndyOp

:hi: btw!

:kick:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. Narcissism is the flip side of relentless promotion of self-esteem.

Narcissism is the flip side of relentless promotion of self-esteem.

Criminals have very high self esteem.

[salguine]

29. it's funny...the kind of smug arrogance that Palin displays

is obnoxious enough in someone who's intelligent and perceptive and competent. In someone who's none of those things, like the Governor, it's off the fucking chart.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. You are right, the two types are both obnoxious but seem to me

as totally different. One, does have some basis for thinking they are the greatest - many have probably
told them that - coupled with the fact that they indeed may realize they know more about a subject than
most people. All of us know some subject where we realistically feel we do know more.

For her, she should be feeling she is in way over her head - but doesn't seem to notice that. Maybe
she does but knows she has to act like she doesn't. Or, maybe she is crazy.

In a way, they put her in an impossible situation. She has to appear to know everything. I think it
would almost be more endearing if she said - "hell, I have no earthly idea, but I will listen, and
I will study, and I will learn."

[Monk06]

30. Gaseous Palindumbassis n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

33. McCluckism?

I think I'm close.

[dbmk]

34. I liked how she tried that small town way out there dialect at the end

One other thing I have noticed is how she drags sentences out into infinity with fill words, repetitions and copy words from the question. Classic high school move from someone who got dropped into the deep end.

As far as whether she knows or not, I think she does. She has just been able to get away with it in her previous arenas, due to charms, looks and probably also with certain amount of gletcher smarts.

She has ended up in game where it just doesn't quite cut it. And if I were to venture a guess, I think she is stressed out beyond belief about it - but has no out. I don't see it as entirely unlikely that she could literally crack when she comes up against Biden.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. wow-great analysis. I think you are right.

I am actually starting to feel a bit sorry for her. She has been put into an impossible
situtation. I mean, if you think of it totally from a human perpective. But, a sane,
realistic person could have said, wtf - are you serious? There's no way I am ready. Plus
the demands of a family - and a very young child with health issues. I just can't even
imagine.

[morillon]

35. There was a study about competence and perception some years ago.

And in it, they found that the most incompetent were completely unaware of it. At the other end of the scale, people who actually did know what they were doing always tended to underestimate their competence.

http://www.zenspider.com/RWD/Thoughts/Inept.html