People trade off imitation against distinction based on their status position

Evidence

To gain higher status, we must emulate conventions with high status value. … To achieve the highest status, we must strive for individual distinction through unique behavior. … No individual can pursue all four simultaneously. Instead we’re likely to choose a specific risk-mitigation strategy that best matches our status position. This is not a trivial idea: our specific balance of imitations and distinctions determines our behavior and, as we’ll see next, who we are. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 182

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the framing of conventions as status-driven action introduced throughout the book, and the upcoming point that this balance shapes identity itself. — connects to: Imitation toward superiors and distinction from inferiors are complementary status forces, not hypocrisy — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 165; Aspirants to higher status distinguish themselves via group-approved performance to avoid sanctions for norm-breaking — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 170; Distinctiveness is tolerated only for those who already have high status — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 175 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• People verify group traits they lack to stay included yet distinct #expands (0.85) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 917
• Imitation and distinction operate as complementary forces rather than opposites #qualifies (0.72) — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 165