Short King Spring is almost upon us. But you might want to beware of your short friends and partners because a new research has found out that short people just might be psychopaths.
US scientists have deduced after a thorough study of the condition known as Napoleon Complex, that shorter people might possess a ‘Dark Triad’ of personality traits.
These characteristics include a lack of remorse, an inflated sense of self-importance and narcissistic tendencies.
The study, which was published in the Personality and Individual Differences Journal, also found that shorter people are more likely to be antagonistic as they try to combat all the disadvantages they face due to their stature.
The way this study worked was that scientists had 367 participants complete the Dirty Dozen Dark Triad questionnaire, which is a standardised test for dark traits.
They had to rank how strongly they agreed with statements like “I tend to manipulate others to get my way” or “I tend to be callous or insensitive.”
They were also given prompts about their height like “I wish I was taller” or “I am satisfied with my height.”
The study has found that both men and women tend to exhibit more signs of the Dark Triad traits if they were shorter, and this tendency only increased if they were unhappy with their height.
Lead researcher Peter K. Jonason explained this phenomenon to PsyPost.
“Shorter people, especially those who wish they were taller, are more characterised by traits that are likely to make them show-off, be confrontational, and interested in power,” he explained.
He also added that shorter men tend to display more narcissistic tendencies and it is often due to the fact that short men struggle to gain respect.
“Shorter men can demand respect, impose costs on others, acquire resources, and impress romantic partners by their traits. Shorter women can use deception to appear more desirable or to gain protection and resources,” he said.
He also shared that if they appeared as more powerful, it could affect other people’s perception of their heights, making people think they are taller than their actual height, adding that the Dark Triad traits may be part of a ‘suite of psychological systems’ which help shorter people to ‘still compete in life’s great challenges’.
Scientists are hoping that these findings will now lead to more research into the subject.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you.