Who's More Narcissistic: Men or Women? A Look At the Advantages of Ego Trips

Who is more narcissistic, men or women? In a new review of three decades of survey data from nearly half a million participants, researchers found that men are more likely to demonstrate narcissistic behavior than women, regardless of generation or age.

An extensive review of 355 previously published studies examined three decades worth of research involving more than 475,000 study participants. The researchers found that statistically men scored higher on personality tests for narcissism than women in every age group.

"Generally you see men as a little more external in how they interact with the world. Women tend to be a little more interpersonal. That's consistent with narcissism," Keith Campbell, a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and author of "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement," told CBS News.

"In this study what they're talking about is grandiose narcissism, an inflated view of yourself as being special and important," added Campbell, who was not involved in the research.

Although, there are some tangible benefits to being narcissistic.

Higher levels of narcissism have been a helpful adaptation for men, the study said, boosting their self-esteem and emotional stability and making them more likely to take on leadership roles.

However, there are some drawbacks as well. "Narcissism is associated with various interpersonal dysfunctions, including an inability to maintain healthy long-term relationships, unethical behavior and aggression," lead author Emily Grijalva, a professor at the University of Buffalo, said in a news release.