Status hierarchies form naturally whenever groups pursue shared goals

Evidence

Status structures develop, explains the sociologist Cecilia L. Ridgeway, because hierarchies “are a human invention to manage social situations.” Every group has goals, and there are always members who can make greater contributions. Their rare and valuable gifts—the ability to kill a lion on the veldt or solve a difficult math problem during study group—will cause others to hold them in esteem. As an incentive for star performers to repeat their feats, groups provide a disproportionate share of the benefits as reward. This natural mechanism means a status hierarchy will form any time individuals work together toward a task. The anthropologist Victor Turner writes, “The moment a digging stick is set in the earth, a colt broken in, a pack of wolves defended against or a human enemy set by his heels, we have the germs of a social structure.” — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 57

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Status hierarchies can emerge purely from individuals’ belonging, distinctiveness, and esteem needs — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 855; Unanimous status beliefs make hierarchies feel natural and legitimate — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 98; Groups are seen as groups when they act coherently toward goals — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 243 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• High member interaction, shared attributes, and common goals increase perceived group entitativity. #exemplifies (0.86) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 217
• Unanimous status beliefs make hierarchies feel natural and legitimate #qualifies (0.82) — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 98
• Status hierarchies can emerge purely from individuals’ belonging, distinctiveness, and esteem needs #expands (0.78) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 855
• Status hierarchies reduce conflict by limiting meaningful comparisons between groups #expands (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2749
• Groups are seen as groups when they act coherently toward goals #corroborates (0.74) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 243
• People perceive groupness either through stable shared traits or through goal-driven process #qualifies (0.73)
• Cooperative pursuit of shared goals builds positive intergroup relations #complicates (0.72) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1671
• Perceivers can judge a group’s unity either by shared traits or by shared goals #qualifies (0.72) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 228
• Explanations for group positions become justifications that make the status quo seem natural #complicates (0.71)