Is there such a thing as a "superiority complex?"?

Question

I notice this in myself and a lot of other gamers. The only reason we play is to get the approval and satisfaction of others. We want to prove that we are superior to anyone else. I think this may or may not be related to the presence of a father figure early in life. Any info from a professional?

hmm, maybe my question isn't clear: For this thing that i'm trying to describe, the main symptom appears to be that they want approval or recognition from father figure types. Maybe a type of Orpheus complex but related to the father, not the mother?

Hi Fortunato,

I have a passing familiarity with these and similar types of studies (through reports of them, rather than reading them myself.) I'm trying to describe gamers who play (usually long after the game is no longer popular) just so they can report their achievements to others. In general, they no longer enjoy the game itself, and usually spend more time talking about the game than actually playing. I'm wondering if this is a recognized condition, and if it has anything to do with lack of a father figure in early childhood.

Answer 1

Well, ignoring the "father" thing at the moment and focusing on "why we game" --

There's a PhD candidate named Nick Yee who does informal psych surveys and studies on MMORPGs in his spare time and has collected some interesting data, some of it about the standard motivations for gamers -- he finds the three 'basic' components to be Achievement, Socializing, and Immersion (which are broken into sub-categories then):

http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/
http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001300.php

The Achievement aspect is the one you refer to here.

In general, I think some of it is simply the male drive to compete, achieve, and feel strong/competent. The majority of online gamers are male, and many of the male gamers have a high focus on achievement -- whether that means beating other players, creating a powerful "build" for their character, collecting powerful items, having bragging rights, or whatever.

I think the drive is predominate enough and strong enough that it isn't spawed from the desire for approval; rather, it co-exists with it.

Men in general enjoy feeling competent and often enjoy impersonal competition with each other as part of testing their competency. A growing male who is still trying to determine his value will then try to catch the attention or earn the approval of male role models -- so that he can validate that he is in fact strong and worthwhile.

If an adolescent male cannot find this validation (i.e., has no role models who will affirm him), he runs either the risk of deciding he's no good and quitting, or pushing himself even harder in order to prove to himself he's strong.

Which one happens usually depends on personality factors (Type A personalities often opt for the latter approach).

Does that make sense? I'm basically saying, yes, the drive to achieve in a game context CAN be impacted by the lack of a male role model early in life. It's one way a growing male searches for validation and confidence.

Just note that all people are different. Some might be driven by other things, or by a combination of them.

Answer 2

I'm way too important to answer this question.

Seriously though, I am not sure what you mean by "gamers" but I think what you describe is an inclination toward competivitiveness. I think that is completely normal in all people though more pronounced in some. People need to be competitive to survive and excel. It is not the worst quality to cultivate to some extent. It has little to do with having a father figure in your life or not, though you weren't clear on whether you lacked one or not.

Thanks.

Answer 3

Animals typically revolve their moves off of fermones, and instinct, so if yet another animal is providing fermones brushing aside sex, typically they'll react in a sexual way. i hit upon this oftentimes with kin animals, even with the undeniable fact that in the wild, with the nutrition cycle being continuous, and as far as ecology bypass, animals count number on the workings of competition. definitlely study slightly on ecology male vs male, what a lady will do to bigger helpful her opportunities with an offspring stuff like that to suppost your "animals arent fairly gay" clause. when you're help the gay animals clause, honestly talk genes.

Answer 4

A superiority complex is the feeling that one is superior to others. An exaggerated feeling of being superior to others. or A psychological defense mechanism in which feelings of superiority counter or conceal feelings of inferiority.

Answer 5

Narcissism

Answer 6

yeah!many people think they are superior to each and every one they met.so they wont mingle with other people .and they also think that they are just like a hero(superman also.....)and they thought that thier duty is to only satisfy others and they will always try to be heroistic and for achieving this goal they will go to any extent

Answer 7

Aren't you a professional? Seems you have set yourself up as one? Your main flaw??? You've clumped all YA participants into the same group --- for shame. . .

Answer 8

If one behaves dominatingly over others is superiority complex. One may be actually superior, then it is not superiority complex.

Answer 9

Ok let me see. Hmmmm. I believe the man of steel has this complex.

Answer 10

Yes. It's called delusions of grandeur or narcissim.