egocentrisme

Egocentrisme, or egocentrism in English, is a cognitive tendency to interpret the world primarily from one's own point of view and to assume that others share one's knowledge, beliefs, and feelings. It describes a limit in perspective-taking rather than a fixed trait.

In developmental psychology, egocentrisme is closely associated with Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. During the preoperational stage (roughly ages 2 to 7), children are said to be egocentric: they have difficulty differentiating their own viewpoint from that of others. Classic demonstrations include the three mountains task, where a child may insist that an observer sees the same scene they see. Over time, particularly as language and theory of mind mature, egocentrism diminishes.

Egocentrism can be cognitive, affecting belief revision and information processing, or it can appear as a bias in social judgments, such as assuming others share one's opinions (false consensus effect). In adults, egocentric tendencies can persist in milder forms, influencing communication, concern for others, and decision-making in groups.

The concept is distinct from narcissism, which involves inflated self-regard and lack of empathy, though both can involve self-centered perspectives. Egocentrism is typically viewed as a developmental limitation or cognitive bias rather than a personality disorder.

Criticism of the construct notes that some tasks used to measure egocentrism may underestimate young children’s abilities, and that cultural factors influence perspective-taking. Contemporary research emphasizes more nuanced accounts, including social, cognitive, and developmental contexts, and the distinction between cognitive and affective aspects of self-centered thinking.