How America Became a Nation of Victims: Culture of Victimization & Personal Responsibility (1992)

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Victim mentality is an acquired (learned) personality trait in which a person tends to regard him or herself as a victim of the negative actions of others, and to think, speak and act as if that were the case - even in the absence of clear evidence. It depends on habitual thought processes and attribution. Victim mentality is primarily learned, for example, from family members and situations during childhood. It contrasts with the psychologically better-researched traits of neuroticism and psychoticism, both of which have a stronger biological or genetic basis. Neuroticism may be defined as general emotional instability or a generally enhanced tendency to experience negative emotions. Psychoticism is characterised by hostility and aggression. What victim mentality, neuroticism and psychoticism have in common is a relatively high frequency of negative emotional states such as anger, sadness and fear. But these three traits are also partially independent: for example a given individual may have a high degree of victim mentality and a low degree of neuroticism, in which case a clinical psychologist is unlikely to regard her or him as needing treatment. Conversely, a given individual may have a high degree of neuroticism and a low degree of victim mentality. A victim mentality may manifest itself in a range of different behaviors or ways of thinking and talking: Blaming others for a situation that one has created oneself or significantly contributed to. Failing or being unwilling to take responsibility for one's own actions or actions to which one has contributed or for taking action to ameliorate the situation. Ascribing non-existent negative intentions to other people (similar to paranoia). Believing that other people are generally or fundamentally luckier and happier ("Why me?"). Gaining short-term pleasure from feeling sorry for oneself or eliciting pity from others. Eliciting sympathy by telling exaggerated stories about bad deeds of other people (e.g. during gossip). People with victim mentality may develop convincing and sophisticated arguments in support of such ideas, which they then use to convince themselves and others of their victim status. People with victim mentality may also be generally: negative, with a general tendency to focus on bad rather than good aspects of a situation. A glass that is half full is considered half empty. A person with a high standard of living complains about not having enough money. A healthy person complains of minor healthy problems that others would ignore (cf. hypochondria). self-absorbed: unable or reluctant to consider a situation from the point of view of other people or to "walk a mile in their shoes". defensive: In conversation, reading a non-existent negative intention into a neutral question and reacting with a corresponding accusation, hindering the collective solution of problems and instead creating unnecessary conflict. categorizing: tending to divide people into "goodies" and "baddies" with no gray zone between them. unadventurous: generally unwilling to take risks; exaggerating the importance or likelihood of possible negative outcomes. exhibiting learned helplessness: underestimating one's ability or influence in a given situation; feeling powerless. stubborn: tending to reject suggestions or constructive criticism from others who listen and care; unable or reluctant to implement the suggestions of others for one's own benefit. self-abasing: Putting oneself down even further than others are supposedly doing. A victim mentality may be reflected by linguistic markers or habits, such as pretending not to be able to do something ("I can't..."), not to have choices ("I must..."), or not to know the answer to a question ("I don't know"). Victims of abuse and manipulation often get trapped into a self-image of victimisation. The psychological profile of victimisation includes a pervasive sense of helplessness, passivity, loss of control, pessimism, negative thinking, strong feelings of guilt, shame, self-blame and depression. This way of thinking can lead to hopelessness and despair. Since victim mentality is primarily learned and not inborn, it is possible to change it. A change in attitude may be provoked by an extraordinary situation or crisis. Since rejecting suggestions is a general characteristic feature of victim mentality, a person with victim mentality will generally not respond positively to everyday attempts by another person to draw attention to the problem and its possible solution. For this reason, the condition may become chronic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality