Crab mentality: Difference between revisions
m Reverted edits by 182.18.223.237 (talk) (HG) (3.1.14) |
Added a section to highlight the difference between Crab Mentality and Tall Poppy Syndrome and suggested the need for a citation. |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Crab mentality''', sometimes referred to as '''crabs in the bucket''', is a phrase that describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of [[crab]]s. Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the pot, but instead, they grab at each other in a useless "[[King of the Hill (game)#Use as a metaphor|king of the hill]]" competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100514-270015/Crab-mentality |title=Crab mentality – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos |publisher=Opinion.inquirer.net |date=2010-05-14 |accessdate=2012-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/opinion/2012/05/03/dureza-naughty-pnoy-219434 |title=Dureza: The naughty PNoy |publisher=Sun.Star |date=2012-05-03 |accessdate=2012-05-22}}</ref> The analogy in human |
'''Crab mentality''', sometimes referred to as '''crabs in the bucket''', is a phrase that describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of [[crab]]s. Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the pot, but instead, they grab at each other in a useless "[[King of the Hill (game)#Use as a metaphor|king of the hill]]" competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100514-270015/Crab-mentality |title=Crab mentality – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos |publisher=Opinion.inquirer.net |date=2010-05-14 |accessdate=2012-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/opinion/2012/05/03/dureza-naughty-pnoy-219434 |title=Dureza: The naughty PNoy |publisher=Sun.Star |date=2012-05-03 |accessdate=2012-05-22}}</ref> The analogy in human behaviour is sometimes claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to "pull down" ([[Negation (linguistics)|negate]] or diminish the importance of) any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of [[envy]], [[Conspiracy (civil)|conspiracy]] or [[Competition|competitive]] feelings, although this is not the behaviour being exhibited by the crabs which are simply trying to escape themselves, without any knowledge or understanding of the supposed "success" of their fellow creatures{{citation needed|reason=there should be a reference to back this statement up, otherwise it seems like a (reasonable) supposition stated as a fact|date=August 2015}}. |
||
== Impact on performance == |
== Impact on performance == |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
The popularity of the phrase has made accusing opponents of crab mentality a common form of defense against [[criticism]], whether the criticism is valid or not.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinoywatchdog.com/in-defense-of-crab-mentality/ |title=In Defense of Crab Mentality - Ka Larry Pelayo |publisher=Pinoy Watch Dog |date=2012-07-05 |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref> Depending on the context, this tactic may fall under the logical [[fallacy]] known as ''argumentum ad invidiam'', or appeal to envy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://constitution.org/col/logical_fallacies.htm |title=Logical Fallacies |publisher=Constitution Society |date=2012-10-19 |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref> |
The popularity of the phrase has made accusing opponents of crab mentality a common form of defense against [[criticism]], whether the criticism is valid or not.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinoywatchdog.com/in-defense-of-crab-mentality/ |title=In Defense of Crab Mentality - Ka Larry Pelayo |publisher=Pinoy Watch Dog |date=2012-07-05 |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref> Depending on the context, this tactic may fall under the logical [[fallacy]] known as ''argumentum ad invidiam'', or appeal to envy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://constitution.org/col/logical_fallacies.htm |title=Logical Fallacies |publisher=Constitution Society |date=2012-10-19 |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref> |
||
== Difference from Tall Poppy Syndrome == |
|||
In some countries such as New Zealand and Australia, crab mentality is often called [[tall poppy syndrome]]. However, some authors<ref name="Spacey"/><ref name="Johnson">[http://kjohnsonnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/the-nz-tall-poppy-syndrome-and-crabby.html Johnson, K. 2015. The NZ Tall Poppy Syndrome and Crabby Put-Downs]</ref> have recently highlighted that the phrases mean very different things; with [[tall poppy syndrome]] referring to [[jealousy]] as people of high achievement try to protect their position by preventing competition from those of lower achievement (from the story of the [[Lucius_Tarquinius_Superbus|Roman king Tarquin]]) and crab mentality referring to [[envy]] as people try to pull down those of higher achievement (not necessarily wanting to take the higher position for themselves as discussed in Spacey<ref name="Spacey"/>). |
|||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Revision as of 11:32, 9 August 2015
Crab mentality, sometimes referred to as crabs in the bucket, is a phrase that describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs. Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the pot, but instead, they grab at each other in a useless "king of the hill" competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise.[1][2] The analogy in human behaviour is sometimes claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to "pull down" (negate or diminish the importance of) any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, conspiracy or competitive feelings, although this is not the behaviour being exhibited by the crabs which are simply trying to escape themselves, without any knowledge or understanding of the supposed "success" of their fellow creatures[citation needed].
Impact on performance
This term is broadly associated with short-sighted, non-constructive thinking rather than a unified, long-term, constructive mentality.[3] The impact of Crab Mentality on performance was first quantified by a New Zealand study in 2015 which demonstrated up to an 18% average exam result improvement for students when their grades were reported in a way that prevented others from knowing their position in published rankings.[4]
The popularity of the phrase has made accusing opponents of crab mentality a common form of defense against criticism, whether the criticism is valid or not.[5] Depending on the context, this tactic may fall under the logical fallacy known as argumentum ad invidiam, or appeal to envy.[6]
Difference from Tall Poppy Syndrome
In some countries such as New Zealand and Australia, crab mentality is often called tall poppy syndrome. However, some authors[4][7] have recently highlighted that the phrases mean very different things; with tall poppy syndrome referring to jealousy as people of high achievement try to protect their position by preventing competition from those of lower achievement (from the story of the Roman king Tarquin) and crab mentality referring to envy as people try to pull down those of higher achievement (not necessarily wanting to take the higher position for themselves as discussed in Spacey[4]).
See also
- The Dog in the Manger
- Prisoner's dilemma
- Allegory of the long spoons
- Law of Jante
- Terror management theory
- Tall poppy syndrome
References
- ^ "Crab mentality – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos". Opinion.inquirer.net. 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
- ^ "Dureza: The naughty PNoy". Sun.Star. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
- ^ Crab Mentality Is Universal (January 19, 2010. Part 7 of the "In Defense of the Filipino" series.), http://emanila.com. (archived from the original on 2011-07-10)
- ^ a b c Spacey, S. 2015. Crab Mentality, Cyberbullying and "Name and Shame" Rankings. In Press, Waikato University, New Zealand. Retrieved on April 19th, 2015.
- ^ "In Defense of Crab Mentality - Ka Larry Pelayo". Pinoy Watch Dog. 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ "Logical Fallacies". Constitution Society. 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ Johnson, K. 2015. The NZ Tall Poppy Syndrome and Crabby Put-Downs
 | This article about cultural anthropology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |