Napoleon complex

Not to be confused with Napoleonist syndrome.

The Napoleon complex, also known as Napoleon syndrome and short-man syndrome, is a purported condition normally attributed to men of short stature, with overly aggressive or domineering social behavior. It implies that such behavior is to compensate for the subject's physical or social shortcomings.^[1] Both commonly and in psychology, the Napoleon complex is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype.^[2] The Napoleon complex is named after Napoleon Bonaparte, the first emperor of the French, who was estimated to have been 5 feet 2 inches tall (in pre–metric system French measures), which equals around 1.67 metres, or just under 5 feet 6 inches in imperial measure.^[3]

An 1803 political cartoon by James Gillray depicting Napoleon as short

Etymology

The Napoleon complex is named after French military officer and statesman Napoleon. Cultural depictions of Napoleon often depict him as compensating for his supposedly short height by seeking power and glory via aggressive military endeavors. This view was fostered in large part by British political cartoonists, who repeatedly depicted Napoleon as short to mock both him and his expansionist ambitions; he was so angered by these cartoons that Napoleon once unsuccessfully attempted to convince the British government to suppress them on his behalf.^[4] He is estimated to have been 5 feet 2 inches tall (in pre–metric system French measures), which equals around 1.67 metres, or just under 5 feet 6 inches in imperial measure.^[3] This was the period's average adult male height, depending on the source chosen.^[5][6] Other historians assert that he was 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 metres) because he was measured on Saint Helena 28 years after the French adopted the metric system.^[7]

Other names for the purported condition include Napoleonic complex, Napoleon syndrome and short man syndrome.^{[8][9][10][7]}

Research

Affirmative

Abraham Buunk, a professor at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, found evidence of the Napoleon complex. Researchers at the university found that men who were 1.63 metres (5 ft 4 in) were 50% more likely to show signs of jealousy than men who were 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 in).^[8]

In 2018, evolutionary psychologist Mark van Vugt and his team at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found evidence for the Napoleon complex in human males. Men of short stature behaved more (indirectly) aggressively in interactions with taller men. Their evolutionary psychology hypothesis argues that in competitive situations when males, human or nonhuman, receive cues that they are physically outcompeted, the Napoleon complex psychology kicks in: physically weaker males should adopt alternative behavioral strategies to level the playing field, including showing indirect aggression and coalition building.^[11]

Negative

In 2007, a study by the University of Central Lancashire concluded that the Napoleon complex is a myth. The study discovered that short men were less likely to lose their temper than men of average height. The experiment involved subjects dueling each other with sticks, with one subject deliberately rapping the other's knuckles. Heart monitors revealed that the taller men were more likely to lose their tempers and hit back. University of Central Lancashire lecturer Mike Eslea commented that "when people see a short man being aggressive, they are likely to think it is due to his size, simply because that attribute is obvious and grabs their attention".^[10]

The Wessex Growth Study is a community-based longitudinal study conducted in the UK that monitored the psychological development of children from school entry to adulthood. The study was controlled for potential effects of gender and socioeconomic status, and found that "no significant differences in personality functioning or aspects of daily living were found which could be attributable to height";^[12] this functioning included generalizations associated with the Napoleon complex, such as risk-taking behaviours.^[13]

In popular culture

Singer-songwriter Mariah Carey referenced the Napoleon complex in her 2009 song "Obsessed", accusing someone of being "all fired up with [their] Napoleon complex". The song is believed by some to be a response to rapper Eminem, who had made disparaging remarks about Carey in multiple previous songs.^[14]

See also

• Human height
• Heightism
• Inferiority complex