Crab mentality

Crab mentality, also known as crabs in a bucket (also barrel, basket, or pot)
mentality, is a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it,
neither can you".[1] 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,[2] its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group's
collective demise.[3][4][5]

The analogy in human behavior is claimed to be 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, conspiracy, or competitive
feelings, to halt their progress.[6][7][8][9] Live crabs in a bucket

Impact on performance
Crab mentality affects performance in an organization as humans behave in similar manner as the crabs particularly within social
teams.[10] The impact of crab mentality on performance was 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.[11]

See also
Allegory of the long spoons
The Dog in the Manger
Keeping up with the Joneses
Law of Jante
Prisoner's dilemma
Tall poppy syndrome
Tragedy of the commons

References
1. L. Douglas Wilder (October 1, 2015). Son of Virginia: A Life in America's Political Arena (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=dMZwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA185). Lyons Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-4930-1952-6.
2. Low Robin Boon Peng (2016). Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Why We Fail At Helping Others (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=gmltDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA104). World Scientific. p. 104. ISBN 978-981-320-059-3.
3. Sudipta Sarangi (April 1, 2013). "Capturing Indian 'Crab' Behaviour" (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinio
n/capturing-indian-crab-behaviour/article4570414.ece). The Hindu. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
4. Massie Santos Ballon (May 14, 2010). "Crab Mentality" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130925140458/http://opini
on.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100514-270015/Crab-mentality). Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Archived from the original (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100514-270015/Cra
b-mentality) on September 25, 2013.
5. Miller, Carliss D. (January 2015). "A Phenomenological Analysis of the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome". Academy
of Management Proceedings. Academy of Management. 2015: 13710. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2015.13710abstract
(https://doi.org/10.5465%2FAMBPP.2015.13710abstract).
 6. Manuel B. Dy (March 3, 1994). Values in Philippine Culture and Education (https://books.google.com/books?id=h
RoYc2hPg2sC&pg=PA40). Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-56518-041-3.
7. Herbert A. Leibowitz (December 31, 1994). Parnassus: Twenty Years of Poetry in Review (https://books.google.c
om/books?id=hydg0bdWd2cC&pg=PA262). University of Michigan Press. p. 262. ISBN 0-472-06577-7.
8. Albert Shanker (June 19, 1994). "Where We Stand: The Crab Bucket Syndrome" (http://source.nysut.org/weblink
7/DocView.aspx?id=1012). The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
9. David, E. J. R. (2013). Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino / American Postcolonial Psychology. Charlotte, NC:
Information Age Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 9781623962098.
10. Dietrich, David M.; Kenworthy, Michael; Cudney, Elizabeth A. (2019). Additive Manufacturing Change
Management: Best Practices. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 44. ISBN 9780367152079.
11. Spacey, S. 2015. Crab Mentality, Cyberbullying and "Name and Shame" Rankings. In Press, Waikato University,
New Zealand (http://www.srl.to/u5e2dNha). Retrieved on April 19th, 2015.

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