According to a study, short stature encourages psychopathic and narcissistic tendencies in men

A study revealed that he “short man syndrome” either “complex of Napoleon” it is real, considering the psychological impact of height on men, especially if it is “short” compared to beauty parameters. Although a priori it is a cultural issue, the finding indicated that in men there is a link between dissatisfaction with height Y “dark” traits of personality, such as psychopathythe narcissism and the Machiavellianism.

Patriarchy affects women, but also men. Not only because of the roles associated with gender, but also because of certain cultural preconceptions, such as the fact that it is aesthetically more convenient for them to be “taller” than their partners.

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However, according to Monika Kozlowska, researcher at the University of Wrocław in Polandit seems that there is a scientific link, since the shorter men “tend to show more narcissistic tendencies” with the purpose of “seem more powerful“.

“When people can’t be physically formidable, they can become psychologically formidable instead. Shorter people with traits like psychopathy can use them to command respect, impose costs on others, and impress romantic partners,” the author of the paper said. study published in the journal of Elsevier Personality and Individual Differences.

“Napoleon Complex”

The researcher dedicated herself to studying the “Napoleon Complex”, a phenomenon named after the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte that he allegedly had a complex and lied about his actual height, a source of ridicule by newspapers at the time, historians agree. “Pretending to be more powerful can, in turn, make other people perceive you as taller than you really are,” she added.

The “complex” refers to a domineering or aggressive attitude that show the people that measure below the acceptable average according to social parameters, developed to “compensate for this lack tall”. This is also in line with the way his enemies portrayed him: as “an angry man seeking power and war”, something they associated with his height.

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According to the study, meanwhile, certain personality traits could have to do with this complex. Among them the psychopathy, defined by a lack of empathy and antisocial behavior; the narcissism, an egocentric personality style; and the Machiavellianismdemonstrating manipulation and indifference to morality.

The height study

The researchers surveyed 367 men and women using the questionnaire in which participants were asked how much they agreed with phrases like ‘I tend to manipulate others to get my way.‘. Based on the responses, they were given a score indicating how strongly they demonstrated psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Furthermore, they were asked to indicate their height Y how satisfied they were with her.

The results showed that shorter participants of both sexes who wanted to be taller tended to score higher on all three of the so-called “dark triad” personality traits. Nevertheless, narcissism was particularly strong among male participants in this category, while this trend did not exist among females.

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The researchers hypothesize that these associations can be attributed to evolution. “Shorter men can command respect, impose costs on others, acquire resources, and impress romantic partners with their traits. Shorter women may use deception to appear more desirable or to gain protection and resources. Furthermore, appearing more powerful may, in turn, affect others’ perceptions of one’s estimated height,” were some of the conclusions.