People prefer elevated rank within hierarchy over egalitarian equal respect

Evidence

A growing body of empirical research concludes that status is a fundamental human desire. Normal status is nice, but long-term happiness requires a sense of higher status. Research subjects, for example, felt better “in a hierarchical group in which they alone would be afforded a high level of respect and deference, than in an egalitarian group in which all members would be afforded a high (and equal) level of respect and deference.” This is why we care more about higher relative income than absolute income. A study found that 70 percent of research subjects would give up a silent raise in salary for a more impressive job title. And these findings don’t just apply to postindustrial economies. Around the world “individuals experience elevated social well-being when they enjoy a higher income than others in their local geographic area.” If economic success was just about achieving comfort, we would be satisfied with a specific level of income that secured our basic lifestyle needs. Instead we want more money to improve our status. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 61

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Easterlin paradox and relative-income happiness research on subjective well-being. — connects to: Egalitarian gender relations threaten men’s privileged position and deter collective guilt — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 583; Social dominance orientation measures preference for group hierarchy over equality — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2458; Subordinates sometimes favor dominant groups over their own ingroups — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3209 (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Social dominance orientation measures preference for group hierarchy over equality #expands (0.92) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2458
• People justify social hierarchy even when it harms their own group #corroborates (0.85) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 960
• White Americans endorse individual hierarchy but reject group-based hierarchy #qualifies (0.82)
• Stereotypes legitimize existing social hierarchy even against people’s own interests #corroborates (0.80) — Susan T. Fiske et al., A Model of (Often Mixed) Stereotype…, 43
• People alternate between egalitarian and prejudiced stances depending on what a situation makes salient #qualifies (0.80)
• Benevolent paternalism toward subordinates perpetuates their own-group oppression #exemplifies (0.80) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 768
• Dominants’ attitudes are more driven by group dominance values than subordinates’ #qualifies (0.79)
• Subordinates sometimes favor dominant groups over their own ingroups #corroborates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3209
• Dominants adopt individualism as a new defense when group-based hierarchy is challenged #complicates (0.78) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 674
• Political equality made society secretly more hierarchical than before #expands (0.77) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 269
• Dominants prefer amicable inclusion, not hostility, toward subordinates #complicates (0.76) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 681
• Legitimized status hierarchies suppress ethnocentrism at the cost of subordinate self-esteem #qualifies (0.75)
• Social hierarchy is maintained by dominants and subordinates cooperatively #qualifies (0.74) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3212
• System-justifying prejudice protects dominant groups’ self-esteem, not subordinate ones’ #qualifies (0.72) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 345