Overview
This lecture discusses psychological entitlement, its interpersonal consequences, and the development and validation of a self-report entitlement scale.
Psychological Entitlement: Concept and Measurement
- Psychological entitlement is a stable and pervasive sense of deserving more than others.
- It is considered a personality trait, not just a situational state.
- A self-report measure, the Psychological Entitlement Scale (PES), was developed to assess entitlement levels.
- The PES consists of items reflecting beliefs about deservingness and expectations of preferential treatment.
Interpersonal Consequences of Entitlement
- Highly entitled individuals are more likely to engage in conflict and experience dissatisfaction in social interactions.
- Entitled people tend to be less cooperative and more prone to interpersonal difficulties.
- Entitlement is linked to behaviors such as exploitation, resentment, and lack of concern for others' needs.
Research Findings and Scale Validation
- Studies showed the PES is reliable and valid for measuring entitlement.
- High PES scores predict negative interpersonal outcomes, including greater conflict and less relationship satisfaction.
- Entitlement correlates with narcissistic traits but remains distinct from general self-esteem.
Implications and Future Research
- Understanding entitlement helps explain problematic social behaviors and relationship difficulties.
- Further research is suggested to explore interventions and longitudinal effects of entitlement.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Psychological Entitlement — A stable belief that one deserves more than others regardless of actual merit.
- Psychological Entitlement Scale (PES) — A questionnaire used to measure the degree of entitlement in individuals.
- Self-report Measure — A survey or questionnaire completed by participants to assess their own attitudes or traits.
- Narcissism — Excessive self-focus and inflated sense of self-importance, related but not identical to entitlement.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the Psychological Entitlement Scale items in the provided reading.
- Prepare notes on how entitlement differs from narcissism and self-esteem for discussion.
- Read related research on entitlement interventions if assigned.