Talk:Napoleon complex

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--65.94.180.242 06:58, 5 December 2005 (UTC)Isn't it called a "Napoleonic" complex? (not "Napoleon")

Also the link about Misconceptions around doesn't address the issue

Actually it would if the article mentionned the fact that napoleon was slightly taller than than the average frenchman of his era...

Contents

[edit] "Reverse Napoleon Complex" does not exist...

...outside of Wikipedia mirrors and Internet forum postings, that is. Click here to see what I mean.--Rmky87 02:50, 25 February 2006 (UTC)


One thing not mentioned here is the individual's need for control as well. This is extremely crucial.


badly written article. not of the typical wikipediahigh standard.

[edit] Agreed

This is a poorly written article. I also think there is probably a flaw in the study listed - at least as it relates to Napolean Complex. As a tall guy myself, I assure you it exists, and I think most tall men would agree. There's always one guy in the bar who wants to pick a fight with the tallest guy there (and that's often me). That's one of the reasons I don't hang out in bars. ZZYZX 07:52, 27 April 2007 (UTC)

The linked study is pretty ridiculous and I don't see how anyone can think it's credible. The sample size is a whopping 10 tall guys and 10 short guys. It's obviously not a double blind setup. It's more of an amusing anecdote than a credible indicator of behavior. - Jason —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.41.17.130 (talk) 20:40, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

I would say that the study is rediculous, it was only a 20 person sample and hardly realistic, as a tallish man (6ft 1in) I have to say that it is always the short men who are trying to pick fights as if they have something to prove, and they will usually pick the biggest guy in the bar that they can. My friends and I are all over 6ft, and it amazes us how sometimes a couple of men who are 5ft 6-7 ish will try to take on 7-8 of us who are all over 6ft to try and prove something, little man syndrome definatly exists, although i wouldnt say that small men are geneticly programmed to be more agressive, but it is a response that is due to genetics of being smaller. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.149.82.243 (talk) 14:24, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps you two just have "tall man syndrome" where you perceive every man that's shorter than you as being aggressive. I once met a girl who was a real bitch, I guess she had "Women's Syndrome." People overcompensate whenever they feel threatened, it doesn't just apply to short men. So why do we have a term that generalizes short men instead of addressing the problem of low self-image that causes people to overcompensate? It's easy to pick on short men, but the "Napolean complex" only addresses them and not the many other people who share similar problems. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.201.146.148 (talk) 12:02, 29 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Edit Summary

I'm sorry, what does being less aggressive in physical conflicts has to do with overcompensating in general? I'm about to edit the "Napoleon complex is a myth" part of the article, because I strongly feel the described results of the study has little relevance to the meaning of the term. I'd really have someone who know what he/she's doing to make educated correction of the whole page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.174.5.23 (talk) 06:00, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Backwards

I was wondering if anyone had any research or insight into the idea that the "little man syndrome" is actually more likely to be something that's wrongfully attached to someone of short stature than it is to be rightfully attached. I don't have any research to the idea, but it seems to me like people with ill-concieved subconcious notions about what a short man's status in society should be would be more likely to apply the label to someone who didn't deserve it. For example, if you had two men who acted equally aggressive, the syndrome would still be used to explain the short man's over-agression because of the belief that the short man doesn't have the right to act agressively even if he's acting that way because of the same reason as the tall man. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.99.232.2 (talk) 17:55, 16 October 2007 (UTC)


== Re: Backwards == There is a Cornell study that claims that men generally tend to overcompensate when they feel that their masculinity is threatened. I'd guess that shorter men could be more sensitive to this issue because of the general perception of height in most human cultures. If a man's height is often considered to be an indication of his masculinity, and this study is correct and can be applied in this situation, then perhaps there is some overcompensation taking place after all. Of course, as I mentioned in my earlier edit, this is all pure guesswork. Personally, I'm 184m(6ft) tall and have no idea what your typical shorter-than-average man can feel like, but if there's someone with a masculinity issue out there, I'd say that it's time for you re-evaluate your convictions. The age of huge hairy ape-looking guys has passed. Now it your intelligence, personality and social skills that matter. Being unconsciously predisposed to some physical trait that has no practical importance in today's society shouldn't make you feel inadequate or in any way less of a man.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug05/soc.gender.dea.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.174.5.23 (talk) 18:56, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

You missed the point because you don't have perspective on the matter. You say we don't act like cavemen anymore. Then why are physical attributes so important to people? Why do people associate better physical attraction to a better personality? An inferiority complex isn't about feeling inferior: It's about feeling misjudged about feeling inferior and wanting to prove your worth. And who can blame those who feel negatively judged because they are short or black or female or ugly or fat etc? There but for the grace of God go any of us. It's a cultural problem that belongs to everyone. That's what I meant when I said it was backwards. We're all making negative judgments about others and ourselves brought on by a life time of social conditioning. The inferiority complex doesn't belong to any one group and may not even exist. Instead everyone has a superiority complex or a desire to have one. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.175.46.112 (talk) 20:50, 16 April 2008 (UTC)


[edit] Older revision

Hello, unregistered user who did the revert to past revision edit.

It seems the current article is saying the Napoleon Complex/short man syndrome does not really exist, which seems highly POV imo since it is a recognized phenomena in Psychology.

The older revision is more neutral and simply descriptive. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.239.83.250 (talk) 08:01, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

I can't find any contemporary scholarly texts in the fields of psychology and psychiatry that claim the Napoleon Complex exists as more than a social stereotype. I've found some references that address NC from an evolutionary perspective; I'll add this info to the article. --Muchness (talk) 11:39, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
Well, I can't find any credible sources that claims that Napoleon Complex exist only as a mere stereotype. I think the evolutionary bit you added is excellent. If anything, it gives more credence that NC is a real phenomena, not just for humans, but in the general animal kingdom as well. I've removed a small section "In psychology, the Napoleon complex is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype." A source is given, but it's more or less unverifiable, since you need to register and I don't believe this complies with Wikipedia's guideline of citing source.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.239.81.53 (talk • contribs) 06:53, 6 January 2008
There is currently no policy against using sources that require registration for viewing, provided the sources are verifiable and reliable (see, for example, prior discussion). There is a guideline that recommends against adding websites requiring registration to external links sections, but that is a separate issue unrelated to sourcing policies. --Muchness (talk) 07:40, 6 January 2008 (UTC)
Followup note to say that in pop psychology, pop culture, and the news media it's certainly an established and recognized concept, and the article could do with more references to illustrate historical and popular usage. --Muchness (talk) 11:59, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Nicholas Sarkozy?!

Now, how did THAT sneak in there? I've deleted his name, as it's obviously a joke at his expense. Snorgle (talk) 17:14, 23 January 2008 (UTC)