Human Height as an Indicator for Self-Esteem and Success

As a diverse country, humankind is represented in a multitude of various shapes and colors. A person’s appearance may be an obvious physical characteristic, but as research finds, it can also provide evidence for their mental state and success. Specifically, human height is often debated as being an important trait to determine one’s status. Whether or not height can be an advantage relies heavily on a person’s gender, as certain gender roles and traits have been set for centuries without much variability. For example, short men are seen as having an unfavorable trait that reduces their masculine appearance. For female height, the discrepancies can either provide a woman with an abundance or shortage of confidence. Through the psychological studies done in this research, human height has also proven to be an indication of paranoia in some individuals and may alter their perceptions of other people (Freeman).

Often times, human height can predict a person’s success and levels of self-esteem. As shown in many studies, shorter people can develop a complex that feeds their personal feelings of vulnerability and inferiority (Freeman). With the national average height of men being 5.8 feet and women being 5.3 feet, people who are far above or below these averages often show signs of dissatisfaction (Kennedy). In addition, there are many obvious societal differences in height perceptions between men and women. Being a tall male is seen as being far more favorable than being short whereas with female height, the perceptions are not as clear. On one hand, tall women are compared to models and celebrities and thought to have more success. However, many studies have shown decreased self-esteem in women above 5’11” and increased mental health implications (Firman, et al.). The societal norms for people of different heights can differ greatly, leaving the socially acceptable responses to both tall and short people rather ambiguous. For example, it is seen as rude to randomly address a woman as being short but completely acceptable to comment on another woman’s impressive height. I believe these double standards are the root of a silent discrimination and mistreatment towards tall women and short men or those who do not fit the image of societal norms.

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Firman, Michael W., Sarah J. Hoffman, Ruth L. Firmin, Alisha D. Lee & Yelana Vorobyov (2012) “Tall College Women’s Social Dynamics Relating to Height” Qualitative Research in Psychology. May 14, 2012. Accessed March 26, 2018. 9:3, 210-230, DOI:10.1080/14780887.2010.500354

Freeman, Daniel, and Jason Freeman. “Does Our Height Influence Our Mental Health?” Psychology Today. January 30, 2014. Accessed March 26, 2018. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/know-your-mind/201401/does-our-height-  influence-our-mental-health.

Kennedy, Rita. “The Average Height of Humans Over Time.” Livestrong. July 18, 2017. Accessed March 27, 2018. https://www.livestrong.com/article/542877-the-average-height-of-humans-over-time/.