Like you mentioned, a Small bet from a good player can be much more intimidating than a large one.. As I know when I hold a pat hand, my goal isn't to push the rest of the field out.

I move in usually when I feel someone is testing the waters with a super quick, early posotion raise post flop, or post flop when the board is checked all the way around and a medicore, I want you all to fold raise comes from the last posotion..

Although usually I have an out, such as i'm on a flush draw, ect..