Have you ever been curious about why some individuals refer to themselves in the third person? A psychologist is here to shed light on this behavior after Donald Trump faced criticism for doing exactly that.
Following the tragic discovery of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, who were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday (December 14), many shared tributes in their honor. However, the president chose a different approach, offering criticism of the renowned Hollywood figure.
On Truth Social, he posted: “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood.
“Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.”
The term Trump Derangement Syndrome is oddly used to label adverse reactions to the president.
When questioned by the press at the White House about his remarks, Trump stood by his words, again speaking of himself in the third person.
“Well, I wasn’t a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person as far as Trump was concerned,” he stated. “I think he damaged his career. He became like a deranged person – Trump Derangement Syndrome.
“So I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all, in any way, shape or form. I thought he was very bad for our country.”
Professor Aleksandra Cichocka from the University of Kent has provided insight into why some individuals might engage in third-person self-reference.
“I think people often assume that those who are arrogant or feel superior would frequently refer to themselves in their speech but research to date offers limited evidence for this,” she explained.
“No links have been found between narcissism (a personality trait associated with feelings of grandiosity) and distanced self-talk (i.e., using second or third-person pronouns).”
Research conducted by experts at the University of Arizona also concluded that narcissism is not connected to the use of first-person singular pronouns.
Interestingly, among politicians, the trend seems to lean towards the use of first-person plurals, such as ‘we-talk’.
“Why would people then engage in speaking about themselves in third-person? Recent research shows that people are more likely to do it in situations when they feel critical of themselves or when they want to make themselves feel better,” Cichocka added.
It’s fascinating what you can learn!