Groups act to preserve status differentials even without material gain

Evidence

However, as we have argued, the two can be distinguished theoretically, since the goals of actions aimed at the achievement of positively valued in-group distinctiveness often retain no value outside of the context of intergroup comparisons. An example would be a group that does not necessarily wish to increase the level of its own salaries but acts to prevent other groups from getting nearer to this level so that differentials are not eroded. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2761

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s existing knowledge of RCT (Milgrom law-merchant material) and status-based competition; differential-maintenance behavior parallels positional goods economics. — connects to: Status dynamics let hegemony persist without any conspiracy — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 810; Entrenchment mechanisms work through groups with aligned preservation interests — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 471
• SEED: Possible essay angle: ‘positional status defense’ as a force that makes groups forgo absolute gains to preserve relative rank — with modern parallels in restrictionist immigration and credential inflation.