Abstract
The present experiment examined the causal influence of subjective social status (SSS) on variables related to cardiovascular health [i.e., blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV)]. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions involving a social comparison that either induced a temporary shift toward high SSS or toward low SSS. Cardiovascular variables were measured before (baseline), throughout, and after the manipulation (recovery). Participants in the low SSS condition had a significantly lower HRV during experimental manipulation than at baseline (p = 0.001). They also showed a significantly stronger HRV reactivity compared to participants in the high SSS condition (p = 0.027). Our results suggest that already temporary shifts of one's SSS have measureable effects on cardiovascular variables. They support the notion that social status plays a causal role in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Highlights
Lower social status has been associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes including an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (Adler and Ostrove, 1999; Clark et al, 2009; Euteneuer, 2014), the most common causes of death globally (World Health Organisation, 2014)
The present study aimed to extend the existing findings on associations between social status (SSS) and cardiovascular health by examining whether a short-term experimental manipulation of SSS affects cardiovascular processes
Our main finding is that a temporarily lowered SSS leads to larger heart rate variability (HRV) (RMSSD) decreases
Summary
Lower social status has been associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes including an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (Adler and Ostrove, 1999; Clark et al, 2009; Euteneuer, 2014), the most common causes of death globally (World Health Organisation, 2014). SSS refers to an individual’s perceived social position relative to other members in their social environment. As such it is determined by objective characteristics and by people’s general life satisfaction, the way they perceive their position in comparison with relevant others, and what they assume their position will be in future (Cundiff et al, 2013). SSS is related to various stress-related biological risk factors for disease as well as alterations
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