Dealing with self-righteous individuals can be draining, especially when their sense of moral superiority overshadows genuine connection and understanding.
While they may not always be overt about it, their behavior often reveals their true nature.
Nevertheless, some signs are more telling than others—and here are eight of them.
In this article, I’ll be discussing eight subtle signs that indicate you might be dealing with someone who is deeply self-righteous, according to psychology:
1) Unyielding certainty
Human beliefs are rarely black and white—they’re full of uncertainties, compromises, and constant evolution.
Yet, some people seem to live in a world of absolutes.
These folks are convinced that they’re always right, that their moral compass is the epitome of correctness, and that there’s no space for gray areas, speaking with an unyielding certainty that leaves no room for doubt—yes, we’re talking about deeply self-righteous people.
In their world, they’re the heroes fighting for truth, while everyone else is either an ally or an enemy.
This might sound heroic in a movie, but in real life, it usually leads to a lot of judgment and broken relationships.
2) Endless judging
I remember a friend I used to hang out with, let’s call him John: He had a habit of passing judgement on everyone around him.
Nothing was ever good enough, nothing ever met his high standards and was as if he had an internal scale, measuring everyone’s worth based on his own rigid beliefs.
No matter where we were or who we were with, John always had something critical to say.
“Look at that person’s clothes,” he’d say.
“Can you believe they’re eating that?” It felt like he was constantly looking down on everyone else.
At first, I thought he was just being overly critical but, over time, I realized that it was more than that—John was not just judging people, he was placing himself on a pedestal in the process.
What I didn’t realize back then was that this is a classic sign of a deeply self-righteous person.
Like John, they’re not just critical of others—they believe they’re superior.
3) Lack of empathy
Self-righteous people often have a glaring lack of empathy.
They struggle to put themselves in other people’s shoes, and instead of trying to understand others’ perspectives, they’re more likely to invalidate them.
This isn’t just an observation: According to counseling articles, a lack of empathy plays a huge role in the characteristics of a self-righteous person.
The higher a person’s level of self-righteousness, the lower (or more absent) their capacity for empathy tends to be.
Why is this the case? It’s likely because self-righteous people are so wrapped up in their own worldview that they struggle to see things from a different perspective.
They’re so certain of their own correctness that they can’t imagine that someone else’s viewpoint could be valid.
4) The need to feel superior
If you’ve ever felt like someone is constantly trying to one-up you or make themselves seem better, you might be dealing with a self-righteous person.
In their minds, they’re the cream of the crop, the best of the best, and they’re not shy about letting everyone around them know it.
They often belittle others’ accomplishments while highlighting their own—they may subtly (or not so subtly) imply they’re more intelligent, more moral, or generally superior to those around them.
This need to feel superior doesn’t come from confidence or self-assuredness.
In other words, a superiority complex is merely a defense mechanism—a way for self-righteous people to maintain their perceived moral high ground.
5) Never wrong
Self-righteous people have a hard time admitting when they’re wrong, so they’ll twist facts, change the subject, or even blatantly lie just to avoid being caught in a mistake.
Once, I had a debate with a friend who just wouldn’t admit that she could be wrong: Even when presented with clear evidence contradicting her statements, she brushed it aside, saying that it was “just one source” or that “facts can be interpreted in many ways”.
I remember feeling frustrated and puzzled; I mean, how could someone refuse to see what’s right in front of them?
But then, I realized it was her self-righteousness at play—her need to be right was so strong that it blinded her to reality.
6) Insecurity masked as confidence
On the surface, self-righteous people often appear confident.
They express their opinions loudly, stand firm in their beliefs, and seem unshakeable but this outward display can be misleading.
Underneath the facade of confidence often lies a deep-seated insecurity—they may feel the need to constantly prove themselves or to assert their correctness as a way to mask their insecurities.
This seeming paradox can make it tricky to spot a self-righteous person.
You might be fooled by their outward confidence while missing the insecurity lurking beneath.
7) Uncompromising attitude
We all know that life is about compromise—finding common ground, meeting in the middle, and sometimes, agreeing to disagree.
However, for the self-righteous, compromise is a foreign concept.
Their beliefs are set in stone, and they see any attempt at compromise as a weakness or even a betrayal of their principles.
They often hold rigidly to their beliefs and refuse to budge, even when presented with new information or perspective as this uncompromising attitude can make it difficult to communicate with them or reach any sort of agreement.
8) Lack of self-awareness
The most telling sign of a deeply self-righteous person is a lack of self-awareness.
These people are often blind to their own faults and failings as they may not realize how their behavior impacts others or how it might be driving people away.
Self-righteous people often see themselves as victims, martyrs, or heroes, never the ones at fault—they rarely take responsibility for their actions and often shift blame onto others.
This lack of self-awareness can make it extremely challenging to deal with self-righteous individuals as they’re unlikely to change their behavior because they genuinely don’t see anything wrong with it.
Reflection: Understanding self-righteousness
Dealing with a deeply self-righteous person can be challenging.
Their unyielding certainty, judgment, and lack of empathy often strain relationships.
Understanding these traits, however, can open the door to better communication and healthier dynamics.
While self-righteousness often stems from insecurity and a need for validation, recognizing this can foster context and compassion—though it doesn’t excuse the behavior.
It also provides an opportunity for self-reflection—by understanding these tendencies, we can work to avoid embodying them ourselves.
Growth begins with understanding, so use this insight to nurture healthier interactions and strengthen your relationships.
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