Short Man Syndrome Is Very Real, Confirms Scientific Study
โ€” Updated on 14 December 2022

Short Man Syndrome Is Very Real, Confirms Scientific Study

โ€” Updated on 14 December 2022
Garry Lu
WORDS BY
Garry Lu

While Shorts Kings are once again in vogue thanks to the likes of Tom Holland and โ€“ as always โ€“ Danny DeVito championing our cause, a study from Polandโ€™s University of Wroclaw has offered a grain of salt with claims that thereโ€™s scientific truth behind โ€œShort Man Syndromeโ€ (otherwise known as the โ€œNapoleon Complexโ€).

Researchers surveyed 367 men and women using the โ€œdirty dozenโ€ Dark Triad questionnaire, wherein participants are asked to express how strongly they agree with phrases such as: โ€œI tend to manipulate others to get my way.โ€ Based on their responses, each person is assigned a score indicating how strongly they demonstrate narcissism, psychopathy, as well as Machiavellianism.

What they determined was that both men and women who were shorter than theyโ€™d like to be scored higher for all the Dark Triad traits like; with men being considerably more prevalent in the narcissism department compared to women.

RELATED: Lisa Ann, Former Queen Of Porn, Tells Punters Size Doesnโ€™t Matter

โ€œShorter people with traits such as psychopathy can use them to demand respect, impose costs on others, and impress romantic partners,โ€ noted lead author Monika A. Kozlowska, University of Wroclaw.

โ€œAppearing more powerful may, in turn make other people perceive them as taller than they really are.โ€

โ€œOur study provided the first examination of the relationship between height, height attitudes, and the Dark Triad traits. Generally, our hypotheses were supported: all three traits were associated with the wish to be taller and shorter stature.โ€

You can read the study about Short Man Syndrome in question โ€“ officially titled โ€˜The Napoleon Complex, Revisited: Those High On The Dark Triad Traits Are Dissatisfied With Their Height And Are Shortโ€™ โ€“ published in Elsevierโ€™s journal Personality & Individual Differences here.

Garry Lu
WORDS by
After stretching his legs with companies such as The Motley Fool and the odd marketing agency, Garry joined Boss Hunting in 2019 as a fully-fledged Content Specialist. In 2021, he was promoted to News Editor before departing the team in 2025. Garry proudly retains a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black bruises from Muay Thai, as well as a black belt in all things pop culture.

TAGS

Share the article