Crab mentality

[13] This mechanism can partly explain why individuals may attempt to pull down those who achieve more than themselves as a way to protect their own self-esteem and social standing.

[16] This sense of inequality, rooted in subjective perceptions rather than objective measures, can deeply influence social behavior,[17] including the phenomenon of crab mentality.

Thus, crab mentality can be viewed as a response to perceived social inequality, where pulling others down becomes a strategy to cope with feelings of inadequacy or injustice.

[20] Such a worldview fosters competitive rather than collaborative social interactions, encouraging behaviors that aim at hindering others' achievements to protect one's perceived share of limited resources,[21] like crabs in a bucket.

[22] Since it is driven by cognitive biases and emotions,[23] crab mentality is often a reactive, non-rational behavior that seeks to level the playing field by pulling others down, even though there are no direct benefits to the individual.