Crab barrel syndrome: Looking through the lens of type A and type B personality theory and social comparison process

Abstract

IntroductionThere are epistemological studies about the main concept, Crab Syndrome. In this context, the study aims to reveal the antecedents of the Crab Syndrome by evaluating the theoretical background of the Crab Barrel Syndrome within the framework of Social Comparison Theory. The main purpose of this study is to identify the precursors of crab barrel syndrome. In line with this main purpose, the study also aims to reveal the relationship between crab barrel syndrome behaviors and type A versus type B personalities, along with the effect of social comparison behaviors. Type A personality represents the personalities of individuals who are stressed, ambitious, competitive, and quickly take action for their aims. Type B, on the other hand, presents the personality types of individuals who are calm, away from competition, and perform their actions slowly.MethodIt is designed quantitatively, employing scales to quantify type A and type B personalities, social comparison, and crab barrel syndrome. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling.Result/discussionIt is found that there is a positive relation between the type A personality and the crab barrel syndrome, and a negative one between the syndrome and high self-esteem. The findings suggest that by social comparison, type A and type B personality are precursors of crab barrel syndrome. In the study, the theoretical background of the Crab Syndrome was evaluated within the scope of Social Comparison Theory. In this context, examining the relationship between different organizational behavior theories and crab syndrome is important for other studies.

Unveiling creativity among the textile sector: an inquiry into the effect of leader vision and the crab syndrome

“…Moreover, competition, emphasizing the basis of the CS, causes stress and may promote the behavior of sharing information or the behavior of withdrawing in creativity to protect personal resources (Uzum et al. , 2022).…”

Understanding Supervisor’s Crab Syndrome in the Private Security Sector: A Mediation Model

“…It is stated that well-being and high self-esteem have a negative impact on crab syndrome (Üzüm et al, 2021;Uzum et al, 2022). Crab syndrome has the potential of causing the encounter with negative outcomes.…”

“…Swab and Johnson (2019), who defined competition as a situation and preference issue arising from individual differences that shape interpersonal relationships, stated that competition had an interactional context within the triangle of process, personality, and situation. As a concept in which personality traits are examined, it is difficult to consider the crab syndrome independently of interpersonal relationships (Uzum et al, 2022). Uzum et al (2022) presented empirical research results that grounded the crab syndrome in a social context through the visor of social comparison, and a psychological context as a type A-type B personality.…”

“…As a concept in which personality traits are examined, it is difficult to consider the crab syndrome independently of interpersonal relationships (Uzum et al, 2022). Uzum et al (2022) presented empirical research results that grounded the crab syndrome in a social context through the visor of social comparison, and a psychological context as a type A-type B personality.…”

“…Although there are researchers who define the crab syndrome (Bulloch, 2013;DeGruy, 2003;McPhail, 2010;Özdemir and Üzüm, 2019), psychology, sociology, anthropology, organizational behavior literature is encountered in which its structure is tried to be determined by phenomenological research (Miller, 2019), but empirical researches (Üzüm and Özdemir, 2020;Uzum et al, 2022) are almost absent.…”