New Study Reveals Short, Bitter Individuals More Prone to Being Psychopaths

New research suggests that individuals who are relatively short and upset about it may display conflictive behaviors to offset their height disadvantage.

The journal: Personality and Individual Differences published this research. This study challenges the common belief that height has no bearing on personality traits.

It highlights the importance of understanding the underlying factors contributing to psychopathy.

The researchers suggest that the insecurity and a need for power and control explain this correlation, which can manifest in shorter individuals or have experienced bitterness or resentment.

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How the Researchers Conducted the Study

For the research, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing site, was used to recruit 367 adults — both men and women from the US.

The researchers told the participants to fill out the Dirty Dozen Dark Triad questionnaire. Its format can assess psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism levels. It is a personality trait defined as manipulative, cynical, and lacking morality. 

Afterward, the researchers asked them to mention their height. The participants also disclosed if they were content with it or wished they were taller. 

The researchers discovered that shorter people and those unhappy with their height tended to show signs of psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.

Short, bitter people are ‘more likely to be psychopaths’: study https://t.co/u9ifWlf4MN pic.twitter.com/ACMa7Dt8FO

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What were the Results?

They found that individuals below average height, typically less than 5 feet 7 inches for men and less than 5 feet 2 inches for women, were more likely to exhibit psychopathic traits.

Furthermore, those who reported feeling bitter or resentful toward others were likelier to exhibit psychopathic tendencies.

“Short people, particularly those who wish they were taller, exhibit more traits that are likely to make them show off, confrontational, and interested in power,” explained lead author Peter K. Jonason of the University of Padua in Italy.

“These relationships may be best understood from an evolutionary framework. It suggests that when people cannot be physically formidable, they may be psychologically formidable instead,” he continued.

The researchers suggested that this reaction can also provide advantages in survival and mating. By understanding the link between height, bitterness, and psychopathy, researchers may be more knowledgeable.

When comparing genders, shorter men tended to be slightly more likely than shorter women to exhibit narcissistic traits. But gender did not affect a person’s chances of indicating psychopathy and Machiavellianism.

“We expected these relationships to be stronger in men with their evolutionary and Freudian considerations. But we found only scant evidence for differentiating these correlations by sex,” Jonason said.

While it’s important to note that height and bitterness alone do not necessarily lead to psychopathy, this study provides valuable insight into the complex factors contributing to this personality disorder.

How this Research can Benefit the World

By understanding the link between height, bitterness, and psychopathy, researchers may be more knowledgeable about identifying individuals at risk for developing psychopathic traits. Thus, generating more effective prevention and treatment strategies is more possible.

This new study provides an important glimpse into the complex factors contributing to psychopathy. It also highlights the need for further research and understanding of this personality disorder.

While the link between height, bitterness, and psychopathy may seem surprising, it offers a valuable starting point for researchers.

Mental health professionals can also better identify and treat individuals at risk for developing psychopathic traits.

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