big-fish-little-pond effect

noun

The tendency of individuals to compare their own self-concept with their peers, which suggests that equally capable individuals have higher self-concepts when in a less capable group than in a more capable group.

Similar
BFLPE
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Meanings

nounbig-fish-little-pond effect (plural big-fish-little-pond effects)

plural big-fish-little-pond effects

  1. The tendency of individuals to compare their own self-concept with their peers, which suggests that equally capable individuals have higher self-concepts when in a less capable group than in a more capable group.

    Synonyms: BFLPE

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe tendency of individuals to compare their own self-concept with their peers, which suggests that equally capable individuals have higher self-concepts when in a less capable group than in a more capable group.

Similar
BFLPE

Origin

After the phrase big fish in a small pond. The effect was introduced by Herbert W. Marsh and John W. Parker in 1984.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

big-fish-little-pond effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big-fish-little-pond%20effect

MLA

“big-fish-little-pond effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big-fish-little-pond%20effect. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “big-fish-little-pond effect,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big-fish-little-pond%20effect.

Source: big-fish-little-pond effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.