egocentrism

British  

/ ˌɛɡəʊ-, ˌiːɡəʊˈsɛntrɪzəm /

noun

1. the condition or fact of being egocentric

2. psychol a stage in a child's development characterized by lack of awareness that other people's points of view differ from his own

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Explanation

If you care only about yourself, without a thought for anyone else, you've got a bad case of egocentrism. Egocentrism is a quality of being overly interested in oneself, at the expense of other people. Egocentrism is an extreme form of selfishness. Psychologists describe it as a state of being unable to see things from anyone's perspective except your own. While egocentrism is considered normal in very young children, it can be a real problem in fully grown adults who think the world revolves around them. If you find yourself convinced that everyone in the room is staring at the tiny blemish on your chin, you can reassure yourself that it's just your egocentrism talking.

Example Sentences

"Be agents of communion, capable of breaking down the logic of division and polarisation, of individualism and egocentrism," he added.

From BBC • Jul. 29, 2025

But there's no way to watch her performance as anything but egocentrism.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2023

She gossips about other galaxies, teaches us about her past and imparts a primer on astrophysics, all the while relishing every opportunity to throw shade on humankind's egocentrism and closed-mindedness.

From Scientific American • Aug. 5, 2022

Younger children, for instance, may assume the death of someone close to them was their fault because of the egocentrism of that age and magical thinking, which are common characteristics of that age group.

From Washington Post • Aug. 13, 2021

There is egocentrism, the inability of children to imagine a simple scene, such as three toy mountains on a tabletop, from another person’s vantage point.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker