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'''Crab mentality''', also known as '''crab theory''',<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mae Lentz|first=Ella|date=2006|title=The Crab Theory Revisited|website=[[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iy-g3fXNWA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127232750/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iy-g3fXNWA&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2020-11-27 |url-status=dead|access-date=November 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Henry |first1=Elizabeth |title=FAQ: Crab Theory |url=https://libguides.gallaudet.edu/crab-theory |website=LibGuides }}</ref> '''crabs in a bucket''' (also barrel, basket, or pot) '''mentality''', or the '''crab-bucket effect''', is a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you".<ref>{{cite book|author=L. Douglas Wilder|title=Son of Virginia: A Life in America's Political Arena|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dMZwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA185|date=October 1, 2015|publisher=[[Lyons Press]]|isbn=978-1-4930-1952-6|page=185|author-link=Douglas Wilder}}</ref> The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in [[crabs]] when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape,<ref>{{cite book|author=Low Robin Boon Peng|title=Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Why We Fail At Helping Others|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmltDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA104|year=2016|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-320-059-3|page=104}}</ref> its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group's collective demise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/capturing-indian-crab-behaviour/article4570414.ece|title=Capturing Indian 'Crab' Behaviour|author=Sudipta Sarangi|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=April 1, 2013|access-date=December 1, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=Carliss D. |title=A Phenomenological Analysis of the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome |journal=Academy of Management Proceedings |date=January 2015 |volume=2015 |issue=1 |pages=13710 |doi=10.5465/AMBPP.2015.13710abstract }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |lang=en |last=Adams |first=Frank Patrick |date=December 2019 |title=Does the Crab Theory Hold Water? Investigating Intragroup Discriminatory Attitudes within the Deaf Community |publisher=Gallaudet University |url=http://frankpadams.com/upload/97152/documents/4F2720A3AF8D3329.pdf |oclc=1226710162 }}</ref> As such, the crab mentality shares some features in common with a similar phenomenon of human behavior called [[tall poppy syndrome]].
'''Crab mentality''', also known as '''crab theory''',<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mae Lentz|first=Ella|date=2006|title=The Crab Theory Revisited|website=[[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iy-g3fXNWA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127232750/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iy-g3fXNWA&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2020-11-27 |url-status=dead|access-date=November 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Henry |first1=Elizabeth |title=FAQ: Crab Theory |url=https://libguides.gallaudet.edu/crab-theory |website=LibGuides }}</ref> '''crabs in a bucket''' (also barrel, basket, or pot) '''mentality''', or the '''crab-bucket effect''', is a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you".<ref>{{cite book|author=L. Douglas Wilder|title=Son of Virginia: A Life in America's Political Arena|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dMZwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA185|date=October 1, 2015|publisher=[[Lyons Press]]|isbn=978-1-4930-1952-6|page=185|author-link=Douglas Wilder}}</ref> The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in [[crabs]] when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape,<ref>{{cite book|author=Low Robin Boon Peng|title=Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Why We Fail At Helping Others|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmltDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA104|year=2016|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-320-059-3|page=104}}</ref> its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group's collective demise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/capturing-indian-crab-behaviour/article4570414.ece|title=Capturing Indian 'Crab' Behaviour|author=Sudipta Sarangi|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=April 1, 2013|access-date=December 1, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=Carliss D. |title=A Phenomenological Analysis of the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome |journal=Academy of Management Proceedings |date=January 2015 |volume=2015 |issue=1 |pages=13710 |doi=10.5465/AMBPP.2015.13710abstract }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |lang=en |last=Adams |first=Frank Patrick |date=December 2019 |title=Does the Crab Theory Hold Water? Investigating Intragroup Discriminatory Attitudes within the Deaf Community |publisher=Gallaudet University |url=http://frankpadams.com/upload/97152/documents/4F2720A3AF8D3329.pdf |oclc=1226710162 }}</ref> As such, the crab mentality shares some features in common with a similar phenomenon of human behavior called [[tall poppy syndrome]].


The analogous theory in human behavior is that members of a group will attempt to reduce the [[self-confidence]] of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of [[envy]], [[resentment]], [[spite (sentiment)|spite]], [[conspiracy (civil)|conspiracy]], or [[competition|competitive]] feelings, to halt their progress.<ref>{{cite book|author=Manuel B. Dy|title=Values in Philippine Culture and Education|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRoYc2hPg2sC&pg=PA40|date=March 3, 1994|publisher=Council for Research in Values and Philosophy|isbn=978-1-56518-041-3|page=40}}</ref><ref name="Leibowitz1994">{{cite book|author=Herbert A. Leibowitz|title=Parnassus: Twenty Years of Poetry in Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hydg0bdWd2cC&pg=PA262|date=December 31, 1994|publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]|isbn=978-0-472-06577-6|page=262}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://source.nysut.org/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=1012|title=Where We Stand: The Crab Bucket Syndrome|author=Albert Shanker|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date= June 19, 1994|access-date=December 1, 2015|author-link=Albert Shanker}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino / American Postcolonial Psychology|last=David|first=E. J. R.|date=2013|publisher=Information Age Publishing|isbn=978-1-62396-209-8|location=Charlotte, NC|pages=119}}</ref>
The analogous theory in human behavior is that members of a group will attempt to reduce the [[self-confidence]] of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of [[envy]], [[jealousy]], [[resentment]], [[spite (sentiment)|spite]], [[conspiracy (civil)|conspiracy]], or [[competition|competitive]] feelings, to halt their progress.<ref>{{cite book|author=Manuel B. Dy|title=Values in Philippine Culture and Education|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRoYc2hPg2sC&pg=PA40|date=March 3, 1994|publisher=Council for Research in Values and Philosophy|isbn=978-1-56518-041-3|page=40}}</ref><ref name="Leibowitz1994">{{cite book|author=Herbert A. Leibowitz|title=Parnassus: Twenty Years of Poetry in Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hydg0bdWd2cC&pg=PA262|date=December 31, 1994|publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]|isbn=978-0-472-06577-6|page=262}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://source.nysut.org/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=1012|title=Where We Stand: The Crab Bucket Syndrome|author=Albert Shanker|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date= June 19, 1994|access-date=December 1, 2015|author-link=Albert Shanker}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino / American Postcolonial Psychology|last=David|first=E. J. R.|date=2013|publisher=Information Age Publishing|isbn=978-1-62396-209-8|location=Charlotte, NC|pages=119}}</ref>


== Effect on performance ==
== Effect on performance ==

Revision as of 05:20, 23 September 2022

"Crabs in a Bucket" redirects here. For the film, see Last Call (2021 film). For the Nines album, see Crabs in a Bucket (album).

Live crabs in a bucket
Look up crab mentality in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Crab mentality, also known as crab theory,[1][2] crabs in a bucket (also barrel, basket, or pot) mentality, or the crab-bucket effect, is a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you".[3] The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in crabs when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape,[4] its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group's collective demise.[5][6][7] As such, the crab mentality shares some features in common with a similar phenomenon of human behavior called tall poppy syndrome.

The analogous theory in human behavior is that members of a group will attempt to reduce the self-confidence of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, jealousy, resentment, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, to halt their progress.[8][9][10][11]

Effect on performance

Crab mentality affects performance in an organization as humans behave in similar manner as the crabs particularly within social teams.[12] The detrimental impact of crab mentality.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Mae Lentz, Ella (2006). "The Crab Theory Revisited". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  2. ^ Henry, Elizabeth. "FAQ: Crab Theory". LibGuides.
  3. ^ L. Douglas Wilder (October 1, 2015). Son of Virginia: A Life in America's Political Arena. Lyons Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-4930-1952-6.
  4. ^ Low Robin Boon Peng (2016). Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Why We Fail At Helping Others. World Scientific. p. 104. ISBN 978-981-320-059-3.
  5. ^ Sudipta Sarangi (April 1, 2013). "Capturing Indian 'Crab' Behaviour". The Hindu. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  6. ^ Miller, Carliss D. (January 2015). "A Phenomenological Analysis of the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome". Academy of Management Proceedings. 2015 (1): 13710. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2015.13710abstract.
  7. ^ Adams, Frank Patrick (December 2019). Does the Crab Theory Hold Water? Investigating Intragroup Discriminatory Attitudes within the Deaf Community (PDF) (PhD). Gallaudet University. OCLC 1226710162.
  8. ^ Manuel B. Dy (March 3, 1994). Values in Philippine Culture and Education. Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-56518-041-3.
  9. ^ Herbert A. Leibowitz (December 31, 1994). Parnassus: Twenty Years of Poetry in Review. University of Michigan Press. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-472-06577-6.
  10. ^ Albert Shanker (June 19, 1994). "Where We Stand: The Crab Bucket Syndrome". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  11. ^ David, E. J. R. (2013). Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino / American Postcolonial Psychology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-62396-209-8.
  12. ^ Dietrich, David M.; Kenworthy, Michael; Cudney, Elizabeth A. (2019). Additive Manufacturing Change Management: Best Practices. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-367-15207-9.
  13. ^ Spacey, Simon (2015). "Crab Mentality, Cyberbullying and "Name and Shame" Rankings". Waikato University, New Zealand. S2CID 38442243. Retrieved April 19, 2015.

Further reading

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