There is no definitive cause of narcissism, a personality disorder in which a person has a significantly above normal love and view of himself or herself, often to the detriment of others, and completely lacks empathy. In many cases, this disorder may be caused by parents or caregivers who either excessively pamper or routinely ignore a young child. It can also be caused by routine exposure to extreme criticism during childhood. Some researchers believe that certain cases of narcissism are hereditary, either citing genes as the direct cause or believing that certain individuals are naturally more prone to developing this disorder given the proper circumstances.
Extremes in parenting are often believed to be one of the causes of this disorder. Children who are constantly pampered, coddled, or overly praised may develop this personality disorder later in childhood or early adulthood. These issues, which may be one of the causes of narcissism, are considered outside of the normal realm of parenting, even when compared to what many in society would view as over-protectiveness or excessive indulgence, and tend to foster unhealthy relationships between a child and his or her parent or caregiver.
At the other end of the spectrum is extreme emotional and physical neglect. Some psychologists believe that a child who constantly has to fend for himself or herself, despite having adults in his or her life who are supposed to be responsible for him or her, is more likely to become narcissistic. Typically, it is believed that an individual develops this over-the-top view of himself or herself as a coping mechanism for the lack of encouragement and genuine love in childhood. As children typically learn empathy from the adults in their lives, a child who is not exposed to compassion may not be able to develop this ability later in life, also resulting in narcissism.
A constant expectation to perform above average and criticism for any minor flaws or faults may also be one of the causes of narcissism. This unrelenting critique can result in a child constantly seeking out praise and admiration from others, one of the most common symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. It can also cause an individual to overstate his or her accomplishments in an attempt to receive praise and admiration, another symptom of narcissism.
Outside of environmental causes of narcissism, many researchers and psychologists believe that genes are possibly one of the causes of narcissism, although it is not known as of 2011 what traits are potentially passed down. In general, a child with a narcissistic parent is more likely to develop narcissism himself or herself, although it is not known whether this is due to genetics or how the child is raised. While it is believed that certain traits commonly associated with this personality disorder are hereditary, some researchers believe that an individual may be naturally more inclined to develop narcissism if his or her childhood allows for it, even if neither parent is narcissistic.