Status Evolution

Introduction

Instructor: Dr. Rob Henderson

Abraham Maslow’s Definition: Reputation or prestige as respect, esteem, recognition, attention, importance, or appreciation.
Agnes Callard’s Definition: “How much value other people accord you.”
Key Insight: Status exists in the minds of others; you cannot simply declare yourself high status.

Michael Gazzaniga: “When you wake up, you think about status.”
Default Mode Network: Brain areas active when we mind-wander are the same as when we think about social status and evaluation.

Defined by Tania Reynolds: Examining how the mind evolved to solve problems faced by human ancestors.
Human evolution:
300,000 years of hunter-gatherer life shaped our psychology.
10,000 years ago, the agricultural revolution shifted our environment.
Mismatch Hypothesis: Traits that were once adaptive may be maladaptive today (e.g., overeating in food-abundant environments).

Evolution prioritizes reproduction over survival.
Risk-taking behavior: Increases reproductive opportunities despite survival risks.
Dominant vs. non-reproductive individuals: Those preoccupied with survival but not mating leave fewer descendants.

Traits: Social acceptance, stable self-esteem, conscientiousness.
Mechanism: Freely conferred status based on competence and knowledge.
Example: Stephen Hawking – admired for contributions rather than force.
Benefits: Teaching, granting access to resources, status boost by association.

Status desire varies by individual similar to hunger—everyone experiences it, but at different intensities.
Key Factors Affecting Status Pursuit:
Intelligence
Big Five Personality Traits
Self-Monitoring
Dark Triad and Light Triad traits
Age differences in status pursuit
Virtue signaling and moral grandstanding

Arthur Jensen’s Definition: Intelligence is the ability to quickly assimilate, retrieve, and apply information.
Correlation with Status:
IQ predicts income (correlation ~0.3-0.4) and leadership emergence.
Education raises expectations for status but does not necessarily increase happiness.
The “Sweet Spot” for Intelligence in Social Influence: IQ ~119.
Presidential elections: The “less intelligent” candidate often wins due to relatability.

Big Five Model (OCEAN):
Openness: Creativity, willingness to relocate, taste for abstract intellectual content.
Conscientiousness: Punctuality, industriousness, routine-driven, slight correlation with higher earnings.
Extroversion: Social energy, higher likelihood of leadership positions, slight wage boost.
Agreeableness: Desire for harmony, negatively correlated with leadership selection and income.
Neuroticism (Emotional Stability): Higher neuroticism → lower earnings, greater emotional volatility.
Self-Monitoring: Awareness of social cues; high self-monitors gain influence and career advancement.

Evolutionary function: In the ancestral environment, status was tied to survival, access to resources, and reproductive success.
Ultimate goal of evolution: Offspring, not just sex—status helps secure mates and produce surviving children.

Proximate cause: Immediate reason for a behavior (e.g., “I eat because I’m hungry”).
Ultimate cause: Evolutionary reason behind behavior (e.g., “I eat because calories ensure survival”).
Application to Status: People seek admiration not just for social validation but because it historically ensured success in mating and resource acquisition.

Shared status indicators: Good health, alliances, moral character, generosity, and knowledge.
Male status competition:
Men compete for dominance and prestige to attract mates.
Parental Investment Theory (Robert Trivers): Since women invest more in offspring, they are choosier.
Higher status men tend to have more sexual partners and children.
Female status competition:
Women compete indirectly through social signaling (appearance, fidelity, maternal ability).
Attractiveness: A primary factor in mate selection.
Fidelity and reputation: Women judge promiscuity in rivals harshly (e.g., “Bless Her Heart” effect).

Men: Contest competition (physical competition, athleticism, resource acquisition).
Women: Scramble competition (self-enhancement, social signaling, indirect aggression).
Signaling Theory: Honest vs. deceptive signals (e.g., hard-earned wealth vs. lottery winnings).

Men signal status through: Wealth, career achievements, strength, and generosity.
Women signal status through: Youthfulness, beauty, and social reputation.
Social Media & Dating Apps: Women select fewer men (high selectivity), while men try to appeal to many women (low selectivity).
Men’s attraction to younger women: Evolutionary bias toward fertility cues.
Women’s preference for high-status men: Ambition, intelligence, and economic stability matter more than looks alone.

Status evolved as a mechanism to secure resources, mates, and social allies.
Men and women compete for status differently based on biological investments in offspring.
Modern status competition is influenced by ancient psychological mechanisms.
Understanding status evolution helps explain behavior in dating, careers, and social interactions.