The Napoleon complex

The Napoleon complex is a term that It is used to describe the inferiority complex suffered by some people with short stature. People who suffer from this complex must deal with certain feelings of personal inadequacy associated with their lack of height.

Therefore, People with the Napoleon complex often compensate for their short stature with negative behaviors in their lives., so they can be more aggressive and jealous. This complex is also known as the Napoleonic complex or the short man complex. It is not a mental disorder, so does not appear in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Despite this, there are many psychological studies that refute or confirm the existence of this complex. Now we will delve into the characteristics and origin of the Napoleon complex.

Features of the Napoleon complex

It seems that the negative feelings and thoughtsboth towards others and self-referential, They are more likely in people of short stature. Therefore, according to this logic, many short people who act defensively or appear aggressive could be considered to suffer to some extent from the Napoleon complex.

This complex seems to be more common in men. Especially in those who operate in a competitive environment. Therefore, the Napoleon complex can be described as a defense mechanism against certain social stigmas about height.

It must also be taken into account that The Napoleon complex can be associated with a derogatory social stereotype. Sometimes it becomes that catch-all where any attitude of short people goes. Thus, not all short people are aggressive or prone to shouting and talking a lot to seek the attention of others and thus demonstrate their worth to others.

Name’s origin

The Napoleon complex refers to the famous French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. According to some chronicles of the time, Napoleon used to try to regain the authority that his lack of centimeters could take away from him by harshening his treatment.

Some researchers even consider that the short man’s complex largely motivated his tyrannical attitude. and his ambition to expand the French empire. All to compensate for his short stature. They have also associated this inferiority complex with other tyrannical rulers, such as Hitler or Mussolini.

However, having coined this complex with the name of Napoleon is not as accurate as one thinks. Let’s think that Napoleon was approximately 1.70 meters tall and the average height in France at his time was 1.69 meters.

However, there are several reasons that could support the idea that Napoleon could have this perception.. One of them is that he was always in the company of the Imperial Guard, mostly men above average height. Thus, there are several paintings that portray the emperor below, in height, his guard.

Another reason may be the smear campaign that the English waged against Napoleon Bonaparte.. It is said that, despite his status, he used to celebrate and get drunk with low-ranking soldiers. Thus, Napoleon gained a reputation for rubbing shoulders with menial soldiers. Something that the English used to spread rumors about the emperor’s short stature.

Myth or Reality

There is a wide variety of pedological and social studies that seek to prove or deny the existence of the Napoleon complex.. Some researchers consider that this complex has no scientific foundations and that its definition does not go beyond being that of a social stereotype. On the other hand, there are researchers who have shown a certain predisposition of short men to be more jealous and aggressive.

In 2007, an experiment was carried out at the University of Central Lancashire, which suggests that the Napoleon complex is a myth.

The study involved two people intentionally hitting each other’s knuckles with sticks. As a variable, the pulse was measured and it was found that the shorter men did not demonstrate a greater tendency to become angry after receiving the blow. Rather, both tall and short men were predisposed to react aggressively. Therefore, researchers consider that the Napoleon complex is, in essence, a stereotype towards people of shorter stature.

As opposed, A study carried out at the Vrije University of the Netherlands would support the existence of the complex. The study consisted of several people of different heights playing the dictator game: a game that tests how fair and honest an individual can be with others. It was found that Shorter people reacted more aggressively when competing in the psychological game.

Also some psychologists, such as the British Lance Workman, consider that short people are not more aggressive. However, for Workman, excessive jealousy would be true. Therefore, relates the Napoleon complex to jealousy and not to aggressiveness.

The controversy surrounding the Napoleon complex is undeniable. Thus, some use it as a social stereotype to justify the negative attitudes of shorter people; Others, however, consider it a defense mechanism for short people against taller people. In one way or another, we are talking about a phenomenon that in the study of it has produced contradictory results, feeding one of the indirect inheritances of that man who one day wanted to conquer the world.

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