Understanding status mechanisms is a precondition for reducing inequality

Evidence

The reconceptualization of social status attempted earlier needs now to be made more explicit. Status is not considered here as a scarce resource or commodity, such as power or wealth; it is the outcome of intergroup comparison. It reflects a group’s relative position on some evaluative dimensions of comparison. Low subjective status does not promote inter-group competition directly; its effects on inter-group behavior are mediated by social identity processes. The lower is a group’s subjective status position in relation to relevant comparison groups, the less is the contribution it can make to positive social identity. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2736 (#expands, via linked claim)

A comparison of the stereotypes of women and Blacks in late twentiethcentury America illustrates this dynamic. The former are still paternalistic (due to social, rather than spatial, segregation of the sexes), whereas the latter have shifted away from paternalism (as Blacks have become spatially segregated from Whites). As a result, women are more likely to have positive, communal traits categorically attributed to them (with little dissent from women), while Whites’ stereotypes about Blacks are both more negative (focusing on their alleged deficits in agentic traits) and more probabilistic, with significant dissent from Blacks ( Jackman, 1994). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 677 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Status congruence across capital forms entrenches inequality despite meritocracy — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 90; Status seeking acts as an invisible hand generating culture — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 25; Stereotypes reproduce inequality by eliciting confirming behavior from targets (+8 more)

Related

• Status is relational comparison, not a fixed resource, and affects behavior through identity (similarity 0.85)
• Status hierarchies reduce conflict by limiting meaningful comparisons between groups (similarity 0.84)
• Stereotype content follows the segregation mechanism that structures inequality (similarity 0.83)
• Exposing people to group stereotypes increases their support for the status quo (similarity 0.81)
• Stereotypes function to make existing social inequalities seem legitimate and natural (similarity 0.81)
• Stereotypes legitimize existing social hierarchy even against people’s own interests (similarity 0.80)
• System justification theory attributes stereotype endorsement to status-quo legitimization (similarity 0.80)
• Positive stereotypes can justify subordination more effectively than negative ones (similarity 0.79)
• Status hierarchies dampen conflict by limiting cross-group comparisons, yet cannot explain rapid social change. (similarity 0.79)
• Status dynamics let hegemony persist without any conspiracy (similarity 0.79)
• Perceived high status and power directly produce perceived outgroup competence. (similarity 0.78)
• Status congruence across capital forms entrenches inequality despite meritocracy (similarity 0.78)
• Stereotypes justify existing social arrangements and preserve the status quo (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Status is relational comparison, not a fixed resource, and affects behavior through identity #expands (0.90) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2736
• Stereotypes reproduce inequality by eliciting confirming behavior from targets #expands (0.82)
• Stereotype content follows the segregation mechanism that structures inequality #expands (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 677
• A consensual status system can paradoxically protect group self-esteem from comparison #qualifies (0.80)
• Stereotypes function to make existing social inequalities seem legitimate and natural #corroborates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2909
• System justification theory attributes stereotype endorsement to status-quo legitimization #corroborates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 140
• Status hierarchies reduce conflict by limiting meaningful comparisons between groups #qualifies (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2749
• Status hierarchies can emerge purely from individuals’ belonging, distinctiveness, and esteem needs #expands (0.75) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 855