Free Essay Sample on the Matthew Effect

Malcolm Gladness, non-fiction writer, and a famous journalist, in his sociological book titled Outliers, chapter one, brings out the Matthew effect analogy with a bible verse reference Matthew 25:29. Malcolm develops a sound and logically and empirically sound Matthew effect theory, that dispute the convectional theories explaining the extremely successful from elite software programmers, New York top rated lawyers, rock music stars, Asian Mathematicians, Canadian ice hockey stars, and America Football stars among others icons such as Bill Gates.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Malcolm empirically stages a psychological theory that proves mere intelligence and ambition does not make the outliers. In his Matthew effect theory, he urges that outliers have a hidden advantage and opportunity that strategically catapult one to amazing realms of success. He had the following supporting cases:

Canadian Ice hockey players.

The Canadian ice hockey is a very famous game. In May 2007, Memorial Cup Hockey, the Canadian Junior Hockey League championships finishers were a head on the play, Medicine Hat Tigers verses Vancouver Giants. In attendance was the Hockey legend the Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, born in January, he received a standing applause.

At the age of about ten and eleven years, most Canadian juniors join the selection to play for the junior leagues. The eligibility date to join the selection procedure is January 1st; the required minimum age is ten years. This interprets that, classmates who were born later than January 1st, have to wait all year round to be eligible, as opposed to classmates born in the later months of the year such as September to December. Malcolm, identifies that 40 percent of the Ice Hockey icons are born in the months of; January, February and March, whereas 30 percent are born between the months of; April, May, and June, while 20 percent are born July, August, and September, and the remaining 10 percent are born between the months of October, November and December.

Those born in the early months of the year share some hidden advantage and opportunity, this is the specific factor that elevates them to be Ice hockey icons. They have maturity advantage. They join the preliminary sorting, when they are a year older, this increases their chances of being selected. They join the rep squad where; they acquire superior coaching, additional games in around sixty compared to twenty games that those who were filtered at selection stage play in the house league. This offers addition rows of advantages to such January, February and March born Canadian ice hockey junior players way above the rest. This case study reviews that those who already have something after hand will benefit most, hence the extreme successful men and women.

USA Non-school Baseball League:

A similar case study to that of Canadian Ice Hockey League selection, the eligibility date for Baseball in the USA, is July 31. The following are analysis of major non-school baseball players: 505 strikers were born August, 313 were born July, in the year 2005. The deviation is not explained by sort of myth that special August is a special month in relation to Baseball in America, the simple truth is that those born later than July 31, have maturity advantage at sorting stage and subsequent row of opportunities since they have secured a slot to garner more experience in lesser time than their counterfeit, hence ending up to the legendry records.

The forest, not Tallest Oak Tree:

The tallest oak tree on the forest doesnt always have to come from the hardiest corn per se. The Matthew effect Gladnesss theory stipulate that such a tree enjoys some hidden ecological advantage from germination such as deep soils, direct sunlight, rich grounds, escape from wild animal such a goat chewing up it back, and no lumberjack invasion.

Kindergarten- Maturity verses Ability:

Dhuey Beth analyzed the scores of maths and science in International Mathematics and Science Study, for a four-year-old child in various countries. They found out that the oldest student scored about four to twelve percent points better than the younger ones. The older are introduced to schooling while more mature; this has been for years confused for ability. Dhuey suggested that the cut-off date skewed the education system for the older kids regarding the month. He recommended a set off remedy that places toddlers of same quarter birth date in one stream. However, the recommendations sound costly.

Dhuey did same research yet at college level, He found out that at four-year, American colleges, the highest torrent of postsecondary level students youngest group is underrepresented by 11.6%, this implies that the advantage of maturity persists and grows upwards, favorably spacing out the maturity advantaged to better pastures, while the younger ones, remain in the main stream lane of obvious life achievement.

Conclusion:

Malcolm Gladwell concept of Matthew effect, clearly review that, there are some highly intelligence and ambitious individuals still stuck in the main stream, as average men and women of average intelligence taking glorious positions of power and fame and tones of wealth. Therefore, it takes more than mere, convectional theory requirement to make a successful personality. Rows of Empirical case studies outlined by Gladness in his book, Outliers, proofs, that hidden advantages and opportunities provide the ecology of success, rather than mere intelligence and ambitions.