small man syndrome
Height-triggered aggressive behavior
Small man syndrome is a supposed tendency for shorter men to be aggressive, domineering, or overcompensating in response to insecurity about their height.
The term is usually applied dismissively to explain away a man's assertiveness or ambition: He's not really angry about the project—it's just small man syndrome.
Also called Napoleon complex, though Napoleon wasn't actually short by the standards of his era.
- heightismPrejudice based on stature
- midgetDated slur, small person
- Napoleon complexOvercompensation for small stature
- overcompensationExcessive counterbalancing reaction
- loud voiceHigh-volume speech
big truck · short stature · little man · short king · self-esteem · power dynamics · punching up · social comparison · projection · inferiority complex · chip on shoulder · body image · dominance · tallness · tall order · physical appearance · societal expectations · assertiveness
small man syndromequiet confidence
self-assurance · self-acceptance · inner peace · equanimity · groundedness
small, smaller, smallest, smallness, manliness, manhood, mankind, syndrome