Synonyms
Definition
Social status has many definitions; however, it can be considered analogous to “rank” in social nonhuman animals, whereby the higher in social status a person is, generally the more resources, mating opportunities, and higher fitness benefits they receive. Cues of human status and dominance are discussed below.
Introduction
What does a big bank CEO have in common with a bank teller working at one of its numerous locations? They are both part of the company hierarchy. Their day-to-day experience at work is likely, however, to be very different because they are on opposite ends of the company hierarchy. The CEO has reached the highest possible status, and therefore also holds vast resources, power, and wealth, over and above all others below them in the company. The bank teller, on the other hand, must take orders from all those situated higher in the company’s hierarchy, and can, if there are no safeguards in place,...
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Mileva, V.R., Little, A.C. (2017). Indicators and Correlates of Status and Dominance. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1411-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1411-1
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