Classroom Policy and Narcissistic Behavior: A Game-Theoretic Approach

Abstract

We describe the rise in intergenerational narcissistic behavior amongst college students and educational issues that this trend creates in the classroom, including entitlement and academic dishonesty. As these behaviors impose costs on faculty, other students, and society, we use a game-theoretic approach to exhibit the efficacy of creating and implementing a classroom policy designed to mitigate disruptive behavior in the classroom. Our model examines the strategic problem of a professor developing course policy when facing narcissistic and non-narcissistic types of students in their class. The model shows that if the probability of facing narcissistic students is sufficiently high, it is optimal to create and implement a policy in the course. We then discuss best policies and practices at the institutional and individual levels to mitigate narcissistic behaviors.

Keywords:

• Classroom policy
• classroom management
• game theory
• Generation Z
• Millennials
• narcissistic behavior

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Research Innovation and Scholarly Excellence Award provided by the Office of the Provost at the University of Tampa and by a grant provided by the John H. Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa.