Rational calculation alone would generate status seeking regardless of innate drive
Evidence
The entire debate around the status instinct may be moot. The benefits of higher status are so obvious that a hypothetical person born without an innate drive for status would still seek a higher position out of pure rational calculation. Normal status provides social approval, common courtesies and pleasantries, and relaxed communication with others. This is a major improvement from lower status, with its constant reminders of inherent inferiority, reprimands for the tiniest errors, marginalization, and potential social exile. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 63
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Self-interested rational-actor models cannot explain devotion-driven human behavior. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 545; Status is relational comparison, not a fixed resource, and affects behavior through identity — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2736; Predicting behavior from rational self-interest offers firmer ground than assuming ideological irrationality. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 533 (+6 more)
Broader Connections
- Status is relational comparison, not a fixed resource, and affects behavior through identity
#expands(0.85) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2736 - Predicting behavior from rational self-interest offers firmer ground than assuming ideological irrationality.
#corroborates(0.80) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 533 - Status seeking acts as an invisible hand generating culture
#expands(0.80) — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 25 - Conditional trust can be rationally adopted even among egoists without social ties
#corroborates(0.80) — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 2815 - Self-interested rational-actor models cannot explain devotion-driven human behavior.
#corroborates(0.75) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 545 - Egoistic micro-motivation can sustain cooperation via self-interest without any general cooperative disposition.
#corroborates(0.75) — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 199