Short man syndrome is not just a tall story
By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
http://tinyurl.com/2jlq92
It is said they are prone to bouts of aggression, showing off and
keeping a close eye on their wives or girlfriends at parties.
Have Your Say: Have you encountered short man syndrome?
Vertically challenged men may argue that the notion of a "short man
syndrome" is an unfair, inaccurate stereotype. However, scientists
have now proved small men do make more jealous husbands and lovers
than their taller, more relaxed counterparts.
Short men were found most jealous in the presence of powerful, tall
potential rivals
The findings could help explain why diminutive males from Napoleon
Bonaparte and Benito Mussolini to Tom Cruise and Dudley Moore have on
occasion been accused of overcompensating for a lack of physical
stature.
Researchers found men around 5ft 4in tall were around 50 per cent more
likely to fall foul of the green-eyed monster than those measuring 6ft
6in.
Tall and short women also showed more signs of jealousy than those of
average height.
Prof Abraham Buunk, of the University of Groningen in Holland, said
the findings on short man syndrome - also known as the Napoleon
complex - make evolutionary sense, as tall men and medium-height women
have greater success with the opposite sex.
Taller men have previously been shown to get more replies to lonely
heart ads, have more physically attractive partners, have higher wages
and are more likely to have children.
In the latest study, highlighted in this week's New Scientist
magazine, researchers questioned 100 men and 100 women in
relationships about their feelings of jealousy and how interested they
believed their partners to be in other members of the opposite sex.
advertisementAmong men they found a linear correlation, with 5ft 4in
men being scored an average of 3.75 out of six on a jealousy scale,
and the men around 6ft 6in getting 2.25. The results among women were
more complex, with those of around average height (5ft 6in) scoring
lowest for jealously, at around three out of six. The shortest women
in the study, who measured around 5ft, scored five on the scale, while
the tallest, at 6ft, got an average of four.
The researchers also examined the specific characteristics of rivals
that would make them jealous.
Short men were, as expected, most jealous in the presence of powerful,
tall, strong and rich potential rivals.
However, female participants of around average height were more
vulnerable to jealousy than others when confronted, not with very
beautiful women, but with socially or physically powerful rivals.
Prof Buunk said: "As women of average height tend to be more fertile
and healthy they would be less jealous of women with features
signalling fertility and health such as physical attractiveness, but
more jealous of women possessing masculine features such as physical
dominance and social status."
Throughout the animal kingdom, larger males are more likely to win
fights, are more dominant and are more likely to reproduce.
A series of studies have shown taller men enjoy a range of advantages.
In the 1940s, psychologists found tall salesmen were more successful
than their shorter colleagues. University students asked to rate the
qualities of men of varying heights said short men were less mature,
less secure and less capable than tall men.
