Perceptions Of Social Status Research Articles

Perceptions of the social status hierarchy and its cultural and economic sources

AbstractThis paper applies a conjoint experiment to assess the sources of contemporary social status hierarchies in Western Europe. Social status has become a popular concept in political science to explain resentment against economic and cultural transformations. However, we do not know whether cultural sources like race and gender have an independent causal effect on social status perceptions. Furthermore, these characteristics may be more contested between societal subgroups and thus have a weaker stratifying effect than income or occupation. This study employs an innovative conjoint experiment, conducted in Switzerland, to systematically assess the multidimensional sources of status. The design asks respondents to place profiles with randomized criteria and thus captures intersubjective status perceptions. In contrast to evaluating one's own placement on the social status hierarchy, placing others provides more accurate insights about the structural force of social status. The results show that both economic and cultural sources strongly shape social status, with occupation, race/ethnicity and income being most important. Furthermore, different subgroups agree on the hierarchy no matter their own status. This study helps to understand the structural roots of political resentment by showing that both cultural and economic inequalities are recognized.

Does Housing Inequality Affect Residents' Social Status Perceptions? Evidence from CGSS in China

This paper measures housing inequality from two dimensions: housing quantity and living space. Using CGSS data and an ordered probit model, it empirically examines the causal relationship between housing inequality and residents' subjective social status. The research indicates that housing inequality significantly influences residents' social status perception. The greater the quantity of housing and the larger the living space, the higher the residents' subjective social status. This conclusion remains robust after conducting sensitivity tests. Mechanistic analyses show that the wealth effect is the transmission pathway through which housing inequality affects individuals' social status perceptions. Heterogeneity analyses showed that housing inequality significantly exacerbated social stratification, which was particularly evident in age. Further analysis reveals that housing assets not only have significant impacts on the present but also serve as a key factor in enhancing intergenerational mobility in the future. This study explains the drivers of residents' social status perceptions from the perspective of housing inequality, and provides empirical evidence and policy insights for China to improve the long-term mechanism of real estate, and to prevent the risk of social status perceptions divergence due to housing allocation.

A Study on the Influence of Consumer Perception, Norm and Face Consciousness on the Willingness to Purchase Counterfeit Luxury Goods: A Case of Generation Z

This study investigates the intricate dynamics shaping Generation Z's propensity to purchase counterfeit luxury goods in China, focusing on the influences of consumer perception, social norms, and face consciousness. Counterfeit luxury consumption presents a compelling context for understanding consumer behavior, particularly among younger demographics in emerging markets like China. Drawing upon a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, this research delves into the nuanced interplay between various psychological and sociocultural factors driving the consumption of counterfeit luxury goods. The theoretical framework integrates concepts from consumer behavior, social psychology, and cultural studies to elucidate the mechanisms underlying Generation Z's decision-making processes regarding counterfeit luxury purchases. Specifically, consumer perception is examined in terms of the perceived value, quality, and social status associated with counterfeit luxury goods. Additionally, social norms are analyzed to understand how peer influence, societal expectations, and cultural norms shape individuals' attitudes and behaviors towards counterfeit consumption. Furthermore, the notion of face consciousness, rooted in Chinese culture's emphasis on social reputation and saving face, is explored as a crucial determinant of counterfeit purchasing behavior among Generation Z consumers. Through empirical data analysis, this study uncovers multifaceted insights into the willingness of Generation Z in China to engage in counterfeit luxury consumption. Findings reveal that while perceptions of value and social status play significant roles in driving counterfeit purchases, social norms exert a compelling influence, often outweighing individual perceptions. Moreover, face consciousness emerges as a potent motivator, as individuals navigate the delicate balance between maintaining social esteem and satisfying personal desires. The implications of this research extend to both academia and industry, offering valuable insights for marketers, policymakers, and brand managers seeking to address the challenges posed by counterfeit luxury consumption among Generation Z consumers in China. By understanding the complex interplay of consumer perception, social norms, and face consciousness, stakeholders can develop targeted interventions and strategies aimed at mitigating the demand for counterfeit goods while fostering authentic brand loyalty and consumer trust.

The gender gap in attitudes toward workplace technological change

Abstract We provide the first systematic analysis of how attitudes toward workplace automation and artificial intelligence (AI) vary by gender, using survey data from ten countries. Our analyses reveal a significant gender gap in the perceived fairness of automation and AI, similar in magnitude to that of job offshoring. Drawing on the literature on economic shocks, we examine four explanations based on gender differences in (a) economic self-interest, (b) technological knowledge, (c) sociotropic concerns and (d) social status perceptions. Including these variables in our models, however, narrows the observed gender gap by only 40%. To better understand the sources of attitudinal variation by gender, we rely on Kitagawa–Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition, which shows that distributional differences in group characteristics, specifically women’s lower levels of technological knowledge and self-reported social status, account for approximately one-third of the gap, while the other two-thirds are explained by differences in how specific variables differentially influence attitudes.

An efficacious remedy for status inequality? Indigenous policies in Norway and Sweden

ABSTRACT Most states publicly support the recognition of Indigenous rights. Nevertheless, their domestic policies to address Indigenous rights issues vary considerably across countries. So far, research has not committed itself to investigating the consequences of different Indigenous policies on the peoples concerned and their social status. Do policy contexts that accommodate Indigenous rights firmly contribute to status equality between Indigenous people and the ethnic majority? I study this question in the case of Norway and Sweden. These countries host one Indigenous people – the Sámi – but pursue diverging Indigenous policies. Using new survey data, I show that, despite the absence of material inequalities, there is a clear gap in the social status perceptions between Indigenous and majority respondents in Sweden. In Norway, I do not find that Sámi’s perception of their social position is lower than the majority's. The results suggest that the Swedish policies governing the recognition of Sámi rights are less effective in resolving unequal status perceptions.

Status in a psychological statistics class: The role of academic and status-based identities in college students’ subjective social status

Great effort has been invested in increasing STEM achievement among students, but feelings of low status among underrepresented or otherwise vulnerable students may be creating additional challenges. The present study assessed how perceptions of social status within the classroom—termed subjective social status—aligned with objective course performance and differed by sex, first-generation status, work status, and race/ethnicity among 713 students enrolled across three introductory statistics classes. Findings indicated that final exam score was moderately related to ratings of subjective social status, suggesting that factors besides objective course performance may influence classroom subjective social status. When asked to explain how they evaluated their standing in the course, students reported five main themes, including both academic achievement with respect to exam scores and their understanding of course content. When examining differences by status-based identities in subjective social status, we found that female and first-generation students had lower subjective social status compared to their male and continuing-generation peers, although results were less robust for first-generation status. Likewise, working students reported lower subjective social status relative to non-working students, despite showing no difference in final exam score. In contrast, although Asian/Asian American students outperformed Latine students, there were no differences in reports of subjective social status between Asian/Asian American, Latine, and white students. Taken together, results suggest that factors beyond course performance may relate to students’ subjective social status, and subjective social status may contribute to disparities in academic performance, especially by sex and work status.

How does fairness promote innovative behavior in organizational change?: The importance of social context

AbstractThis study examined how and when employee perceptions of change fairness increase their engagement in innovative behavior during organizational change. Drawing upon fairness heuristic theory, we suggest that change fairness plays a pivotal role as a key heuristic about trustworthiness of leaders and managers in motivating employees to engage in innovative behavior. We also suggest that this change fairness effect becomes stronger or weaker depending on social contexts (change norms, change norm strength, and status differentiation) within a group. Our findings from survey data (N = 318; 35 teams) supported our hypotheses, showing that change fairness is positively related to innovative behavior and that this relationship becomes weaker when (a) group members demonstrate supportive behaviors for the planned change on average (positive change norms), (b) all group members uniformly demonstrate change‐supportive behaviors (strong change norms), and (c) group members' social status perceptions are similar (low status differentiation). We provide insights into theory development and change implementation in practice by highlighting the crucial role of fairness as a key decision heuristic about the trustworthiness of management and demonstrating how social contexts substitute the fairness effect on innovative behavior.

Social processes, practical issues, and COVID-19 vaccination among hesitant adults

IntroductionThe purpose of this study is to examine relationships between COVID-19 vaccination, social processes, and the practical issues of healthcare coverage and workplace requirements. We examine these relationships among individuals who expressed some degree of hesitancy towards receiving the vaccine. Assessing relationships between COVID-19 vaccination, social processes, and practical issues among vaccine-hesitant individuals has implications for public health policy and intervention. MethodsWe analyzed weighted data from a random sample phone survey of Arkansas adults (N = 2,201) between March 1st and March 28th, 2022 and constrained our analytical sample to those who had reported some degree of vaccine hesitancy (N = 1,251). Statistical analyses included weighted and unweighted descriptive statistics, weighted bivariate logistic regressions, and a weighted multivariate logistic regression to obtain adjusted odds ratios for COVID-19 vaccination. ResultsMore than two-thirds (62.5 %) of respondents were vaccinated, despite their hesitancy. Adjusted odds of COVID-19 vaccination were greater among Black (OR = 2.55; 95 % CI[1.63, 3.97]) and Hispanic respondents (OR = 2.46; 95 % CI[1.53, 3.95]), respondents whose healthcare provider recommended vaccination (OR = 2.50; 95 % CI[1.66, 3.77]), and as perceptions of vaccination coverage (OR = 2.04; 95 % CI[1.71, 2.43]) and subjective social status increased (OR = 1.10; 95 % CI[1.01, 1.19]). Adjusted odds of COVID-19 vaccination were greater among respondents with a workplace that recommended (OR = 1.96; 95 % CI[1.03, 3.72]) or required vaccination (OR = 12.62; 95 % CI[4.76, 33.45]) and among respondents who were not employed (OR = 1.82; 95 % CI[1.10, 3.01]) compared to those whose workplace did not recommend or require COVID-19 vaccination. ConclusionsSome hesitant individuals become vaccinated despite their hesitancy—a group we refer to as “hesitant adopters.” Social processes and practical issues are important correlates of vaccination among those who are hesitant. Workplace requirements appear to be of particular importance for vaccination among hesitant individuals. Provider recommendations, norms, social status, and workplace policies may be effective points of intervention among those who express vaccine hesitancy.

Middle of the road: the effects of political ideology on social status perceptions of and by political moderates in organisations

PurposeDrawing on research in the social psychology and political science literatures, this research aims to examine how political moderates perceive, and are perceived by, their co-workers with differing political ideologies in an organisational context, with a focus on the perceptions of social status.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypotheses regarding the social status perceptions of and by political moderates in the workplace, the authors conducted an online experiment in which working adults read a hypothetical workplace scenario and then assessed the social status of a co-worker based on the political ideology of that co-worker.FindingsThe results largely supported the two hypothesised asymmetries of social perceptions of and by political moderates in an organisational context. Specifically, political moderates were perceived to have higher social status by their moderate and conservative co-workers than by their liberal co-workers. In addition, political moderates perceived moderate co-workers to have higher social status than conservative ones.Originality/valueThis research investigates the influence of political ideology on social status perceptions in organisations by focusing on the previously underexamined political moderates. The findings illustrate the importance of political moderates, who tend to espouse a moderate level of resistance to social change, in the process of developing a functional hierarchy and balancing change and stability in organisations.

Studying Social Status Perceptions Among Migrants Through Photo Ranking Exercises

This paper discusses the use of photo ranking exercises together with qualitative interview data to study migrants’ perception of social status. It draws on data from a mixed-method study, involving in-depth interviews with migrants from different socio-economic backgrounds and mobility experiences in Germany. The paper focuses on how photo ranking exercises can be combined with more traditional interviewing techniques in order to elicit peoples’ subjective perceptions of status mobility in transnational spaces. It demonstrates that ranking exercises can be helpful in the effort to design data collection methods which are combining substantialist and relational approaches to the study of social class and social positions.

Climbing the Invisible Ladder: Attenuating Belief in Free Will Reduces Subjective Perceptions of Social Mobility

Can belief in free will alter our perceptions of social mobility? Five studies manipulated free will beliefs and assessed subjective individual social mobility (Study 1), subjective social status across time (Study 2), objective social class 10 years (Study 3) and 20 years (Study 4) into the future, and counterbalanced subjective and objective social mobility measures (Study 5). Challenging free will beliefs reduced subjective perceptions of upward mobility in Study 1 and led to lower perceptions of subjective social status in the distant, but not in near future in Study 2. Studies 3 and 4 found that threatening free will beliefs did not influence perceptions of future objective social class. Study 5 revealed that weakening free will beliefs affected subjective and objective social mobility, with the latter under specific boundary conditions. The differential effects of belief in free will on perceived social mobility are discussed.

‘What makes you the boss?’ Understanding student perceptions of social status in sport education

ABSTRACT Student’s social status within the context of physical education group work can influence engagement and behaviour during group tasks (Cohen [1994]. Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. Review of Educational Research, 64(1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543064001001). According to Bourdieu ([1985]. The forms of capital. In J. G. Richard (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258)), this phenomenon is due to the group creating a doxa, or hierarchy, of social capital brought forth by each group member. Research shows social status can influence the experiences of students within group tasks, indicating the potential for unequal participation and interactions during group work (Brock et al. [2009]. The influence of student status on student interactions and experiences during a sport education unit. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14(4), 355–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408980802400494; Cohen & Lotan [2014]. Designing group work: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press). In the sport education model, students experience affiliation with their teammates to build their sense of belonging and investment (García López & Kirk [2022]. Empowering children from socially vulnerable backgrounds through the use of roles in sport education. Sport, Education and Society, 27(6), 676–688. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2021.1897563; MacPhail et al. [2004]. Sport education: Promoting team affiliation through physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 23(2), 106–122. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.23.2.106). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of status, roles, and team dynamics while participating in a sport education unit. Participants were eight fifth grade students representing two teams participating in a 20-lesson sport education floor hockey unit. Data collection included individual semi-structured interviews based on critical incidents as stimulated recall from GoPro recorded lessons. Results indicated students perceived their status to be based on their skill ability, used a more passive approach to group discussions to avoid conflict, and expressed frustrations with lack of contributions by teammates. Through transcendental phenomenology, this article reveals the perceptions of students’ experiences related to their group identities and socialisation as they participate in physical education group work.

Determinants of Bias Perceptions in South Africa: The Case of A Highly Unequal Society

While objective class dynamics have received much attention in South Africa, less is known about the subjective social positions individuals place themselves in. For example, in a highly unequal society like South Africa, some individuals would overestimate (inflate) or underestimate (deflate) their social position compared to their objective class position. This paper aims to provide further information on status inconsistency in South Africa by assessing some of the socioeconomic determinants of bias perceptions. Using International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) data and a multinomial probit model, the results show that education and race play a significant role in influencing the biased perceptions of individuals in South Africa. For example, individuals with higher education levels have a stronger tendency to deflate their social position, while Coloreds, Indians/Asians, and whites tend to inflate their social positions more than Africans. The results indicate the vital role of race and education in determining status inconsistencies in a society that is still suffering from high levels of racial and education inequality due to the lingering legacy of apartheid. The results provide a better understanding to policymakers and government on the dynamics behind social status perceptions in South Africa.

Area Deprivation Index as a predictor of economic risk and social and neighborhood perceptions among families enrolled in Early Head Start

Previous research suggests that aggregate neighborhood-level measures of socioeconomic disadvantage are related to social and medical outcomes. To date, these measures have primarily been used in health-related research, with far fewer applications to developmental psychology and education. This study used a measure of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage, the Area Deprivation Index, to examine relationships between neighborhood disadvantage, family risk factors, and perceptions of neighborhood safety, social cohesion, and social status in Early Head Start families. Results suggest that neighborhood disadvantage is important to consider in efforts to support the health and well-being of low-income families with young children and that the Area Deprivation Index is appropriate for this use. Neighborhood disadvantage predicted economic hardship and pressure, perceived neighborhood safety and social cohesion, and subjective social status. This has implications for planning and implementation of family supports offered through programs like Early Head Start.

Subtle Signals of Status on Social Network Sites: Evidence From China.

Social network sites (SNS) have been indispensable channels for people to access information, present themselves, and conduct commercial activities. Existing literature on online consumer behavior mainly focus on Western consumers and on explicit conspicuous signals. However, reports have shown that SNS users in China have exceeded 370 million, ranking the first in the world. Meanwhile, more and more consumers display status in more implicit ways nowadays. To fill these gaps, the present research was conducted to investigate the subtle signals of status for Chinese consumers on SNS. We proposed that frequent SNS posting leads to higher status perception among Chinese consumers. The psychological process of this effect is perceived busyness. These hypotheses received convergent support in a set of three studies. Study 1 used secondary data to preliminarily verify the positive correlation between SNS posting frequency and perceived social status. Studies 2A and 2B adopted the causal chain method to test the underlying mechanism of the effect, and to provide causal evidence for the entire relationship chain. Specifically, Study 2A examined how SNS posting frequency affects perceived busyness. Furthermore, Study 2B explored whether the differences in perceived busyness will affect social status perceptions. Implications of these findings and potential extensions in future are discussed.

Converging evidence for enduring perceptions of low social status in individuals in remission from depression

Background: The risk of depressive relapse and recurrence is associated with social risk factors that may be amplified by a submissive socio-cognitive profile. Methods: In Study 1 we aimed to identify perceptions of low social status in a community sample (N = 613) with a self-reported history of mental health difficulties (n = 232) and, more specifically in Study 2 (N = 122), in individuals in clinical remission from depression (n = 18), relative to a never-depressed control group (n = 64), and relative to a group experiencing a current depressive episode (n = 40). Results: In Study 1, a total of 225 of the 232 participants in the self-reported mental health difficulties group opted to provide further information regarding their mental health history, of whom 153 (68%) reported a history of anxiety, 168 (74.7%) reported a history of depression, and 13 (5.8%) reported an unspecified mental health history. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with perceptions of low social status which significantly differed between individuals with and without a self-reported history of mental health difficulties. In Study 2 we found enduring perceptions of low social status in remitted depressed individuals. Limitations: We were unable to discern between historical or current clinical diagnosis in the community sample of Study 1, as we were reliant on self-report. We were unable to explore the effects of medication or causal relationships between depressive symptoms and social status as the studies were cross-sectional in nature. Conclusions: These findings suggest that evolutionarily rooted socio-cognitive profiles could impact affiliative processes and may confer increased vulnerability to future depressive episodes.

Psychological distress in late adolescence: The role of inequalities in family affluence and municipal socioeconomic characteristics in Norway.

The present study aims to explore, in the national context of Norway, how municipal socioeconomic indicators affect anxiety and depressive symptom scores among senior high school students and whether this potential municipal effect is dependent on the adolescents' family affluence levels. This cross-sectional study is based on questionnaire data collected in five waves (2014-2018) of the Ungdata survey. The study sample consisted of 97,460 adolescents aged 16-18 years attending high school in 156 municipalities in Norway. Measures of psychological distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms were based on the screening instrument, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-10. Two-level random intercept models were fitted to distinguish the individual and municipality sources of variation in adolescents' mental health. In general, the results indicate substantial psychological symptom load among the study sample. Inequalities in adolescents' psychological distress between family affluence groups were evident, with the lowest symptom loads in the most affluent families. The predicted depressive and anxiety symptoms among the students increased slightly along with the percentage of municipal residents with tertiary educations and with increasing income inequalities in their residential municipality. However, the interaction models suggest that the adverse effects of higher municipal education level and greater income inequality are, to a certain extent, steepest for adolescents with medium family affluence. This study highlights two key findings. Both municipality effects and family affluence account for a relatively small proportion of the total variance in the students' psychological symptoms loads; however, the mental health inequalities we explored between socioeconomic strata on both the individual and municipal levels are not insignificant in a public health perspective. Results are discussed in the context of psychosocial mechanisms related to social comparison and perceptions of social status that may be applicable in egalitarian welfare states such as Norway.

Similarities in client-clinician perceptions of subjective social status and its association to similarities in the quality of working alliance and client anxiety symptoms

Objective: Subjective social status (SSS) has largely been ignored within psychotherapy literature. We investigated the association between similarities in client-clinician perceptions of SSS, similarities in their report of the quality of working alliance, and resultant anxiety symptoms. Method: Participants represented a primarily low-income, culturally diverse sample of 312 clients receiving care from 68 clinicians at 13 outpatient mental health clinics in the Northeastern United States between September 2013 and August 2016. As part of a larger randomized controlled trial, clients and clinicians completed the MacArthur Scale of subjective social status and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), and clients completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7). Results: At the within-clinician level, client-clinician dyads with less similar perceptions of the client’s SSS were characterized by less similar perceptions of their alliance, which in turn resulted in worsening anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: Clinicians’ correct perception of their clients’ social status might be important for sharing a similar view of the client-clinician level of alliance, which can, in turn, contribute to lowering the client’s anxiety symptoms.

Low fundamental and formant frequencies predict fighting ability among male mixed martial arts fighters

Human voice pitch is highly sexually dimorphic and eminently quantifiable, making it an ideal phenotype for studying the influence of sexual selection. In both traditional and industrial populations, lower pitch in men predicts mating success, reproductive success, and social status and shapes social perceptions, especially those related to physical formidability. Due to practical and ethical constraints however, scant evidence tests the central question of whether male voice pitch and other acoustic measures indicate actual fighting ability in humans. To address this, we examined pitch, pitch variability, and formant position of 475 mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from an elite fighting league, with each fighter’s acoustic measures assessed from multiple voice recordings extracted from audio or video interviews available online (YouTube, Google Video, podcasts), totaling 1312 voice recording samples. In four regression models each predicting a separate measure of fighting ability (win percentages, number of fights, Elo ratings, and retirement status), no acoustic measure significantly predicted fighting ability above and beyond covariates. However, after fight statistics, fight history, height, weight, and age were used to extract underlying dimensions of fighting ability via factor analysis, pitch and formant position negatively predicted “Fighting Experience” and “Size” factor scores in a multivariate regression model, explaining 3–8% of the variance. Our findings suggest that lower male pitch and formants may be valid cues of some components of fighting ability in men.

Social Capital and Subjective Social Status: Heterogeneity within East Asia

Previous studies have documented the associations of objective class with either social capital or subjective social status, yet little attention has been paid to the direct connections between social capital and subjective social status. This study highlights social capital as an essential source of subjective social status, particularly in East Asia, whose member societies have shared similarities but also developed distinctive social and cultural contexts. We investigate how individuals differently perceive their own subjective social status by their social capital and hypothesize that such associations vary across four societies. By analyzing Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese samples of the 2012 East Asian Social Survey, we examine bonding, bridging, and cognitive dimensions of social capital and their connections to subjective perceptions of social status, after controlling for objective class measures. As hypothesized, the results underscore the varying patterns of the associations between social capital and subjective social status across four societies. For instance, individuals who develop wider social connections with people occupying high-status occupations tend to rank themselves higher on a subjective social-status scale in Chinese societies only, where social connections particularly play an important role. Having trustworthy relatives and friends is associated with higher subjective social status in Taiwan and Korea, where members are less tolerant of ambiguity than China. None of the social capital measures matters in Japan, the most individualistic society in East Asia. The findings of this study improve our understandings of subjective social status by emphasizing individuals’ embeddedness in social relationships and broader cultural contexts.