Scarcity of lab positions in high-ranked institutions creates a breeding ground for bullies

This disequilibrium condition exists in the case of students/scholars who are eager to work in institutions/ labs (demand) as compared to the number of open positions (supply). The higher number of applicants compared to the open positions provides a fertile ground for the emergence of bullying behaviors. This is mainly because the “willingness to tolerate” abuse from leading scientists will be automatically increased as lab members can easily be replaced by other eager candidates. For the same reason, the “willingness to bully” or other abusive behaviors by leaders may increase. The risk of this condition is minimized in institutions in which the number of positions is equal or less than the number of applicants, meaning the more prestigious the institution, the higher the possibility of bullying.