29 Jan 2014

Short people prone to paranoia

1:52 pm on 29 January 2014

Researchers in Britain say people who experience social situations from a lower height - ie short people - are more prone to feelings of paranoia, inferiority and excessive mistrust.

In a study in Psychiatry Research, the scientists say making a person's virtual height lower than it actually is can make them feel worse about themselves and more fearful that others are trying to harm them.

Daniel Freeman of the University of Oxford, who led the study, says being tall is associated with greater career and relationship success.

He says height is taken to convey authority and epople feel taller when they feel more powerful, .

The scientists say their research shows how low self-esteem can lead to paranoid thinking.

The findings will be used to develop more effective psychological treatments for severe paranoia, a serious mental health problem.